This book, first published in 1971, presents an analysis of the taxes levied on wealth or capital - death duties, annual wealth taxes and capital gains taxes. It provides a comprehensive study of these taxes, and recommends a series of measures, including the replacement of certain taxes, that would promote equality. The book also provides a masterly historical summary of death duties in the UK.

Economists studying comparative economic systems have generally neglected the important question of taxation in socialist countries. This is somewhat surprising since taxation plays an important role in the regulation of economic activity in these countries. This book, first published in 1985, aims to restore the study of taxation to its rightful role in comparative economic studies. It stresses the importance of taxation and the state budget and argues that these are tools of economic policy which complement central economic planning.

This book, first published in 1987, is a study of the political processes that underlie the determination of taxation - and much else - in the centuries-old government of Britain. Governments inherit a large legacy of policies, and it is the inertia force of past commitments that determine much of what a government does. This is especially true of taxation, and this book explores the forces at work on the policies of taxation. It also helps us understand what might be the future of taxation.

Floating-Rate Securities is the only complete resource on "floaters" that fills the information void surrounding these complex securities. It explains the basics of floating rate securities, how to value them, techniques to compute spread measures for relative value analysis, and much more.

Series Information:
Harwood Fundamentals of Pure & Applied Economics

This engaging and accessible book is a must-read for every taxpayer, young and old. It explores the many forms of taxation; how taxes are created, collected, and spent; and why certain aspects of taxation are so controversial. "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Benjamin Franklin wrote this now-famous quote more than 200 years ago, and taxation remains just as important (and inevitable) today as then. Taxes are a fact of life for almost everyone, and the public goods and services they pay for are enjoyed by all citizens. While taxes are undeniably necessary, the specifics of what should be taxed, who should pay taxes, and at what rate remain hotly debated by economists, government officials, and regular citizens. The first in Greenwood's new Student Guides to Business and Economics series, Taxation gives readers an in-depth yet reader-friendly look at one of economics' foundational concepts. Using simple language and relevant real-world examples, the book explores the different forms of taxation, the necessary components of any tax, how taxes are created and collected, and much more. It also highlights contemporary controversies related to taxation, including whether or not "sin taxes" actually discourage unwanted behaviors like smoking and how best to simplify the tax filing process. Provides a concise and easy-to-read overview of a broad and foundational topic in economics Demonstrates to readers why taxes are important and helps them better understand how tax revenue is spent for the public good Includes a Questions for Further Discussion section designed to stimulate classroom discussion and encour-age critical thinking Offers an at-a-glance chronology of events related to the history of taxation, allowing readers to trace the evo-lution of ideas and practices related to taxation through history

In this 30th volume of Advances in Taxation, editor John Hasseldine includes studies from expert contributors to explore topics such as: the stock market reaction to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; strategic repatriations made by firms; and corporate social responsibility and tax planning. Three studies separately examine individual responses to taxation including the renunciation of U.S. citizenship due to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, the imposition of a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, and the effects of social media on tax compliance in a developing country. Reporting peer-reviewed research contributions from the U.S., Canada, and Malaysia Advances in Taxation Volume 30 is essential reading for those looking to keep abreast of the most recent research, including empirical studies using a variety of research methods from different institutional settings and contexts

This work, first published in 1913, deals with the causes which led to the imposition of the various taxes which were levied down to and including the first income tax act (1799). Indeed, for an understanding of the system of taxation of the nineteenth century a knowledge of that which preceded it is necessary. The author begins by an explanation of the Tudor and Stuart finances before the time of the civil war at which point the break-down of the former system, as well as the need for a much larger revenue, resulted in important changes in the method of taxation.

The Discretionary Economy argues that we do in fact control our own political and economic destinies. As a community, we have discretion over policies that determine whether an economic process adequately provides for the necessities of life. We also determine who participates in normative public judgments and whether decisions distinguish between what is and what ought to be. Tool argues that we must continuously organize the institutional structures through which economic and political functions in the social process are carried on. We must exercise discretion by creating and modifying institutions that coordinate our behavior.

To exercise discretion effectively requires that we employ distinctively American economic, political, and philosophical theory. In this volume, the pivotal twentieth-century contributors to this encompassing theory of political economy are Thorstein Veblen, John Dewey, Clarence Ayres, and R. Fagg Foster. This volume presents, in detail, their analytical and philosophical perspective on social change. A major purpose of this volume is to compare and contrast the American tradition with the traditions of capitalism, Marxism, and fascism, demonstrating that the former can resolve compelling economic and political problems and the latter two cannot.

This book explains how to identify and analyze social, economic, and political problems confronted in all communities, and how to go about framing and implementing structural adjustments in the political economy. It will be of interest to students in non-traditional courses in political economy including institutional economics, contemporary social problems, economics and social policy, methodology, and contemporary economic thought.

"Fiscal Crisis of the State" refers to the tendency of government expenditures to outpace revenues in the U.S. in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but its relevance to other countries of the period and also in today's global economy is evident. When government expenditure constitutes a larger and larger share of total economy theorists who ignore the impact of the state budget do so at their own (and capitalism's) peril. This volume examines how changes in tax rates and tax structure used to regulate private economic activity. O'Connor theorizes that particular expenditures and programs and the budget as a whole can be understood only in terms of power relationships within the private economy. O'Connor's analysis includes an anatomy of American state capitalism, political power and budgetary control in the United States, social capital expenditures, social expenses of production, financing the budget, and the scope and limits of reform. He shows that the simultaneous growth of monopoly power and the state itself generate an increasingly severe social crisis. State monopolies indirectly determine the state budget by generating needs that the state must satisfy. The state administration organizes production as a result of a series of political decisions. Over time, there is a tendency for what O'Connor calls the social expenses of production to rise, and the state is increasingly compelled to socialize these expenses. The state has three ways to finance increased budgetary outlays: create state enterprises that produce social expenditures; issue debt and borrowing against further tax revenues; raise tax rates and introduce new taxes. None of these mechanisms are satisfactory. Neither the development of state enterprise nor the growth of state debt liberates the state from fiscal concerns. Similarly, tax finance is a form of economic exploitation and thus a problem for class analysis. O'Connor contends that the fiscal crisis of the capitalist state is the inevitable consequence of the structural gap between state expenditures and revenues. The state's only way to ameliorate the fiscal crisis is to accelerate the growth of the social-industrial complex. In his new introduction, O'Connor describes "The Fiscal Crisis of the State" as "the product of a unique combination of personal, intellectual, and political experiencesa." He goes on to explain the origins of his theory and the consequences of "The Fiscal Crisis of the State." He answers the question "is there a fiscal crisis today?" and discusses changes in fiscal policy since the '60s and '70s. James O'Connor is emeritus professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

The German state banks - or Landesbanks - are not only some of the largest banks in Germany but are also a dominant force in the international banking sector. These state-owned banks enjoy special privileges and government support which have made them major players in the global arena of banking and finance.Protected by the German taxpayer's seemingly bottomless pockets in the form of state warranties, Landesbanks are able to take part in financing some of the largest projects in the world. They occupy nearly fifty per cent of the top places in both Moody's and Standard and Poor's international rankings. Professor Sinn critically scrutinizes the privileges of the German Landesbanks and questions the justification of government intervention in the banking sector. He predicts that European integration and the introduction of the euro will lead to a fierce take-over battle between Europe's banks. He argues that, given the state warranties, it seems likely that the German Landesbanks will be among the winners in this battle and concludes that the German public banking system has grown far larger than is appropriate for a market economy. This timely book addresses issues of concern for European bankers and policymakers alike. It will also be of interest to students and scholars of financial economics, European integration and money and banking.

In recent years, the European Commission has attached increasing importance to the use of financial engineering instruments rather than traditional grant-based financing for the microcredit sector, considering these to be the most efficient option available. This book presents a study of capacity building and structural funds in public managing authorities for the microcredit sector. It presents two surveys to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the managing authorities' capacity building. The first survey investigates the authorities' need for and interests in capacity building activities, assessing the areas in which capacity building support is needed, and explores the different types of support offered. The second survey analyses the results of the microcredit and microfinance programming activity, investigating its target groups and other operational features. It examines the key monitoring and reporting issues involved in this activity, before analysing the regulatory framework of the microcredit and microfinance sector. This book presents an in-depth analysis of structural funds and their management by policy-makers in the European convergence regions. It explores the interests of managing authorities, microcredit institutions, operators and other financial intermediaries involved in microcredit programming activities, and offers some core strategic and operational recommendations for the use of structural funds in the microcredit sector.

How do Australian governments budget? How well do they spend and manage our money? Governments seem to be locked in a constant struggle with the problems of budgeting. Cabinet never has enough resources to go around, and while some agencies 'guard' public expenditure, others find endless ways to make new claims on budgets.Managing Public Expenditure in Australia provides the first systematic analysis of government budgeting and the politics of the budgetary process. Drawing on extensive original sources, the authors examine debates and reforms in public finance from Whitlam and Fraser to Hawke, Keating and Howard, and assess their impacts on policy development. In tracking the way governments actually spend money, Managing Public Expenditure in Australia provides an alternate and complementary political history of federal government over the past forty years.This book also includes accessible discussions on topics such as budget theory, financial management in government, and debt and deficit reduction. An explanation of new resource management techniques and initiatives help to illuminate the ongoing changes to budget and expenditure management practices. This is an essential purchase for students, teachers and practitioners of public finance, and for anyone involved in the continuing debate over the nature and role of the public sector.

The world of modern capitalism is a global network both of corporations and of cities - 'world command cities' such as New York, London and Tokyo; 'specialized command cities' which concentrate on particular industries, such as Detroit; 'state command cities' such as Washington and Brasilia; and so on. These cities, linked by an organizational web of transnational corporations, are the pins holding the capitalist world economy together in the new international division of labour.
In The Capitalist City a group of eminent scholars analyzes the intricate relationships among cities, state policies and urban politics at a time of economic restructuring at global, national and local levels to provide an original and timely contribution to one of the most important areas of political and social science.

The Russian budget process has received little detailed attention in academic literature. Here various key aspects of the formation of the federal budget, largely since Vladimir Putin began his third presidential term in 2012, are examined. It is primarily the writing of the expenditure side of the budget which is described, that is, how it is decided how much money is spent on what. While ample information is provided on budgetary outcomes, the focus is on the process: the issues faced by budget makers, the actors and institutions involved, and the formal and informal procedures that lead to outcomes. It is not the task of the volume to provide an analysis of the wisdom or effectiveness of particular budget allocations; its goal is to provide some judgement on the effectiveness of the process. Chapters are offered on the budgetary process as it relates to the two main claimants on federal budget funding, the social and defence sectors. Three chapters then examine the major locations of budgetary policy-making: the executive (at presidential and cabinet of ministers levels), the Duma, and the expert community. This book was originally published as a special issue of Post-Communist Economies.

This book offers a comprehensive guide to modern day taxation issues. It presents a thorough overview of many of the crucial aspects of applied taxation and current tax systems, and presents evidence that supports taxation as an important policy issue requiring immediate address globally. Contributions seek to address the core question of how to design a tax policy mix that can serve primarily efficiency, growth and possibly equity goals at a time where fiscal spending, for many economies, is not a viable option. Chapters provide a historical perspective on taxation, then go on to cover aspects of the modern theory of optimal taxation and tax design and provide valuable international perspectives on current tax practices and much required tax reforms. Empirical analysis on taxation and related economic data help the readers to understand how data-based observations and results are linked to the theory of taxation, and more importantly economic growth, before offering appropriate policy prescriptions. This book will be of interest to scholars and practitioners interested in learning more about taxation and why it matters today in the global economy.

The Global Debt Bomb describes the rapid increase in public and private debt in the G7 nations since the 1960s, why this debt has grown so quickly, and what the economic, political, and social consequences of this rise in debt have been. International in focus, this book broadens the debate on public debt to include household and corporate debt, avoids alarmist rhetoric, and puts our current problems in historical perspective.

The central message of The Global Debt Bomb is that the debt-induced financial crisis that affected the Pacific Rim and much of the developing world in 1998 will likely spread to the industrialized countries in Europe and North America when current market and asset "bubbles" burst. How to prevent or mitigate another possible crisis is the primary contribution of this book.

Eighteen years of Conservative stewardship ensured that the Labour government's education policy did not begin with a tabula rasa, for its starting point has been defined by the previous government to a greater extent than any other incoming government has found. In this book the practitioners discuss the micro effect of the policies in their schools. This book will make an important contribution to continuing debate about the best way forward for state education in England and Wales.

Within a historical perspective, Clayton clearly explains the "culture of debt" - its definition, how it got to be such a major burden, why we can't live without it, and ways to manage it more efficiently. He addresses the development of debt over the course of the 20th century in both the US and world economies. This comprehensive multidisciplinary analysis covers all aspects of debt - benefits and necessity; the impact (both good and bad) on individuals, corporations and governments; and lessons to be learned from the past. Clayton, drawing on current research and extensive primary data in economics, political science, and history, concludes that with our rapacious accumulation of debt and common-place use of "debt-finance", our society has set itself up for a significant financial decline.

This major book presents an objective and penetrating economic analysis of stabilization and reform in Eastern Europe, combined with a compassionate plea for individual rights and solidarity. Janos Kornai - one of the most famous Hungarian economists of his generation - focuses on two main issues: first, the problems of stabilization and adjustment, which are painful but necessary conditions of sustainable growth and second, the reform of the 'premature welfare state' of Eastern European countries, which is disproportionately large in relation to the resources available and which was hitherto managed in a highly centralized, bureaucratic and paternalistic way. Struggle and Hope goes beyond most other books on the transition process by placing considerable emphasis on the understanding of the ethical implications and the historical roots of each problem, and also the political conditions and consequences of change. Although economic efficiency is extremely important, it is not the exclusive criterion; ethical principles of individual sovereignty and solidarity must also receive particular attention. Professor Kornai's insightful analysis will become required reading for all those concerned with the process of post-socialist transition.

This volume is a follow-up to the earlier "Urban Economics, Volume 2" of "Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics," edited by Edwin Mills. The earlier volume, published in 1987, focussed on urban economic theory. This new handbook, in contrast, focuses on applied urban research. The difference is of course in emphasis. The earlier volume was by no means entirely concerned with theoretical research and this one is by no means entirely concerned with applied research.

There have certainly been important theoretical developments during the last decade, and they are surveyed at appropriate places in this volume. However, there has been an outpouring of high quality applied research in urban economics, as in other specialties. The reasons for the rapid growth of applied research are not difficult to identify; improved theoretical frameworks within which to do applied research; improved econometric techniques and software; more and better data; and, probably most important, ever cheaper computing power, which is being ever more widely distributed within the research community, providing increasingly easy access to and analysis of, data.

Selection and classification of topics to include in this handbook has inevitably depended on the editors' perceptions of subjects on which important research has been undertaken. It has also depended on the availability of authors who were able and willing to write critical surveys of large amounts of international research. An attempt was made to include authors and have them survey research from a variety of countries. However, there is still a US bias in applied urban research, partly related to the availability of data and computers but also to the sheer size of the US research community.

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How to save hundreds—even thousands—of dollars a year in property taxes You can’t escape paying property taxes, but you can avoid paying more than you have to. This authoritative new guide explains how. Written by an experienced real estate counselor, Challenge Your Taxes helps you evaluate your property assessment and pinpoint any inaccuracies that, once amended, could dramatically reduce your tax bill. With proven guidelines and practical tips, you’ll learn how to determine what your property is really worth, qualify your property for a deduction, and—in the case of an unfair assessment—prepare and present a successful appeal. Here’s where you’ll find complete details on:

• Property valuation—fair market value, comparable sales and cost approach, amenity considerations
• Assessors—who they are, what they do, and what they look for
• Checking your property information—study your property record file, confirm property category, use sales/assessment ratio to establish fair value
• Common assessment errors—miscalculated land area, incorrect judgment of condition, comparable sales ignored, wrong zoning classification
• Assessment appeals—summary of procedure, presentation checklist, the appeal board, abatements

Confronted with rising citizen discontent, the Reinventing Government movement, and new technological challenges, public organizations everywhere are seeking means of improving their performance. Their quest is not new, rather, the concern with improving the performance of government organizations has existed since the Scientific Management Movement. "Public Sector Performance" brings together in a single volume the classic, enduring principles and processes that have defined the field of public sector performance, as written in the words of leading practitioners and scholars. Taken as a whole, this volume provides a performance compass for today's public managers, helping them to reconstruct the public's confidence in, and support of, government.Defined here as managing public organizations for outcomes, performance is examined in all its varied dimensions: organizing work, managing workers, measuring performance, and overcoming resistance to performance-enhancing innovations. The selected articles are interesting, thought provoking, and instructive. They are classics in that they have been widely cited in the scholarly literature and have enduring value to public managers who seek to understand the many dimensions of performance. The book is organized into three sections: Performance Foundations, Performance Strategies, and Performance Measurement. Excerpts from additional selected articles feature special topics and wisdom from performance experts.

This is the first collection of readings in the economics of state and local public finance in almost thirty years. The scope of the thirty pieces is broad, including both classic and current articles. The articles fall into three broad categories: public choice and fiscal federalism, revenue sources and the fiscal condition of cities.

The book is an excellent resource for undergraduate economics courses in which state and local public finance comprises a substantial part of the syllabus, and for graduate courses in state and local public finance in public policy programmes, planning and public administration. The collection is also valuable to anyone who needs to understand the theory and practice of public finance, including policy analysts, planners, public administrators, and financial market analysts.

The recent devolution to the states of responsibilities previously held by the federal government -- a key goal of the deficit-reduction, smaller-government agenda of the 1990s -- has far-reaching implications for state budgets. At the moment, a strong economy has put most states into a strong enough fiscal condition to shoulder such burdens as welfare reform and public investment. But beneath the current surpluses are structural problems that are unlikely to withstand the next economic downturn; as a result, any essential public needs will be left unmet. This book deal with three major areas of concern: first, the effect of moving large numbers of welfare recipients into labor markets; second, the planned federal reforms in the health care field that will shift costs to the state and local sector; and third, trends in federal aid. A basic finding of these essays is that state economies can accommodate these challenges generally speaking, but the effect of recent welfare reform presents a problem too long-range to be adequately assessed in the near-term.