This compelling research review touches on the contemporary debates in macroeconomics that have consequentially emerged as a result of government debt. Should governments tolerate high public debt or become more indebted given the now prevailing low interest rates? Or is high public debt bad for private sector confidence and growth, by feeding uncertainty, expectation of future tax hikes and an imminent collapse in the wake of the next crisis? This review presents a collection of articles reflecting on these complex and intriguing topics. This review will be useful for policy makers and academics alike, while being particularly suited for those wishing to explore this exciting research area further.
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Stephan Klasen
This impressive research review discusses the most important contributions by some of the leading scholars in the field of poverty measurement. It analyses what constitutes poverty and associated poverty measures, as well as conceptual and empirical approaches to set poverty lines for both national and international settings. The papers discussed in this research review also discuss national and international income poverty measures, multidimensional poverty indices, and ways to capture poverty dynamics.
Nanak Kakwani and Hyun Hwa Son
This research review offers an insight to some of the most important questions economists and policymakers have been grappling over. A substantial amount of research has been carried out using cross-country regression models, resulting in a better and improved understanding of the linkage between economic growth and poverty reduction. The literature on cross-country regressions, however, has led to conflicting conclusions. Reconciling diverging messages makes it difficult to accurately inform policy-making. Based on a selection of influential papers, this volume provides a critical review of the literature. Scholars who envision a world free of extreme poverty will find this analysis particularly valuable.
The Evaluation of Complex Infrastructure Projects
A Guide to Qualitative Comparative Analysis
Lasse Gerrits and Stefan Verweij
Infrastructure projects are notoriously hard to manage so it is important that society learns from the successes and mistakes made over time. However, most evaluation methods run into a conundrum: either they cover a large number of projects but have little to say about their details, or they focus on detailed single-case studies with little in terms of applicability elsewhere. This book presents Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) as an alternative evaluation method that solves the conundrum to enhance learning.
Teaching Benefit-Cost Analysis
Tools of the Trade
Edited by Scott Farrow
Teaching Benefit-Cost Analysis provides detail and inspiration that extends and clarifies standard textbooks. Each short, self-contained module includes guidance to additional sources while many also provide class exercises. Classes for advanced undergraduates, practitioners, or Masters students could especially apply these tools of the trade.
The Ecology of Tax Systems
Factors that Shape the Demand and Supply of Taxes
Vito Tanzi
This groundbreaking book analyzes how the ecology of taxation is fundamental for the success or failure of tax systems. It specifically focuses on the role of the ecological environment on taxation; the factors that determine the ecology of taxation; and how the ecology of taxation has changed and may continue to evolve. The implicit, important conclusion is that there are no permanent or universal optimal tax theories: all theories are related to this ecology.
Fighting Terrorism at Source
Using Foreign Aid to Delegate Global Security
Jean-Paul Azam and Véronique Thelen
This book offers a unique and insightful econometric evaluation of the policies used to fight transnational terrorism between 1990 and 2014 using a sample of 124 countries. It proves that foreign aid plays a crucial role by inducing recipient governments to protect the donors’ political and economic interests within their sphere of influence. In contrast, US troops on the ground are counter-productive as they increase the supply of terrorist attacks from the host countries, even though this effect has been significantly reduced by the Obama administration.
The Reform of Network Industries
Evaluating Privatisation, Regulation and Liberalisation in the EU
Edited by Massimo Florio
Network industries such as electricity, gas, rail, local public transport, telecommunications and postal services are recognised by the EU as crucial for fostering European social and territorial cohesion. Providing an overview of key policy reforms in these industries and an empirical evaluation, this thought-provoking book offers a critical perspective on the functioning of the networks that provide vital services to EU citizens.
Central and Local Government Relations in Asia
Achieving Fiscal Sustainability
Edited by Naoyuki Yoshino and Peter J. Morgan
Sustainable and inclusive growth in emerging Asian economies requires high levels of public investment in areas such as infrastructure, education, health, and social services. The increasing complexity and regional diversity of these investment needs, together with the trend of democratization, has led to fiscal decentralization being implemented in many Asian economies. This book takes stock of some major issues regarding fiscal decentralization, including expenditure and revenue assignments, transfer programs, and sustainability of local government finances, and develops important findings and policy recommendations.
Mark Skidmore
This timely research review presents and discusses essential readings for those interested in the economics of natural disasters. It features analysis of influential articles on the macroeconomic and regional impacts of natural disasters, natural disaster vulnerability, resilience, recovery and adaptation. Topics covered include short-run and long-run economic impacts, poverty and vulnerability, emerging life-saving technologies, the role of government in fostering resilience and adaptation in response to disasters. This detailed new review will be an invaluable source of reference for researchers and policymakers alike.