Legitimized by the arguments of efficiency gains, public housing, pensions, unemployment insurance and health care are all being gradually privatized. In many countries, even the state's 'night-watchmen' role of providing security is offered by private prisons and security guards. In the face of these and other developments, this book argues that on the basis of efficiency, morality and equality there is still an overwhelming need for public intervention - the res publica. Public or Private Goods? brings together leading scholars from various disciplines including economics, sociology, political science, geography and spatial planning. The book explores core public tasks that the state has traditionally provided but which are increasingly privatized and subsumed into the private sector. For example, although the state still funds and regulates core domains, it provides fewer and fewer visible goods. The authors show how this apparent invisibility of the state presents serious challenges for both income equality and democracy. This thoughtful interdisciplinary book will appeal to advanced students and academics in political science, public sector economics and public finance. It will also provide stimulating reading for politicians, policymakers and anyone interested in the provision of public services. Contributors include: F. Blank, G. Bonvissuto, J. Ferwerda, M. Getzner, G. Gutheil-Knopp-Kirchwald, J. Kadi, T. Knijn, I. Koetsier, J. Lewis, B. Unger, D. van der Linde, K. van Egmond, F. van Waarden

Although the practice of disguising the illicit origins of money dates back thousands of years, the concept of money laundering as a multidisciplinary topic with social, economic, political and regulatory implications has only gained prominence since the 1980s. This groundbreaking volume offers original, state-of-the-art research on the current money laundering debate and provides insightful predictions and recommendations for future developments in the field.The contributors to this volume - academics, practitioners and government representatives from around the world - offer a number of unique perspectives on different aspects of money laundering. Topics discussed include the history of money laundering, the scale of the problem, the different types of money laundering, the cost to the private sector, and the effectiveness of anti-money laundering policies and legislation. The book concludes with a detailed and insightful synthesis of the problem and recommendations for additional steps to be taken in the future. Students, professors and practitioners working in economics, banking, finance and law will find this volume a comprehensive and invaluable resource. Contributors: H. Addink, A. Argentiero, M. Bagella, R.W. Baker, J. Biggins, J. Brettl, A. Buehn, F. Busato, P. Costanzo, S. Dawe, I. Deleanu, J. Ferwerda, L. Groot, T. Krieger, M. Levi, D. Masciandaro, K.J. McCarthy, D. Meierrieks, B. Muhl, E. Nowotny, T. Pietschmann, P. Reuter, F. Schneider, M. Stouten, A. Tilleman, L. Tromp, B. Unger, M. van den Broek, D. van der Linde, P.C. van Duyne, V. van Kommer, J. van Koningsveld, I. van Rossum, F. van Waarden, J. Vervaele, B. Vettori, J. Walker, M. von und zu Liechtenstein, J.S. Zdanowicz