Political Cycles in a Developing Economy

Political Cycles in a Developing Economy

Author: Stuti Khemani

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 58

ISBN-13:

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Empirical results from India suggest that politicians exert greater effort in managing public works during election years. Surprisingly, there is no evidence of a populist spending spree to sway voters just before elections.


Election Timing

Election Timing

Author: Alastair Smith

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2004-07-19

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 9780521833639

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Endogenous election timing allows leaders to schedule elections 'when the time is right'. The author proposes and tests an informational theory of endogenous election timing that explains when leaders call for elections and the consequences of their decisions. In particular, he argues that, if all else is equal, leaders announce elections when they anticipate a decline in their future performance. As a consequence, early elections signal a leader's lack of confidence in future outcomes. The earlier elections occur, relative to expectations, the stronger the signal of demise. Using data on British parliaments since 1945, the author tests hypotheses related to timing of elections, electoral support and subsequent economic performance. Leaders who call elections early (relative to expectations) experience a decline in their popular support relative to pre-announcement levels, experience worse post-electoral performance, and have shorter campaigns.


Political Business Cycles

Political Business Cycles

Author: Bruno S. Frey

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781858983998

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A collection of articles on how the government influences the economy in order to secure re-election. This book surveys the empirical and major theoretical approaches, such as vote maximization, partisan and vote-cum-partisan models, and rational political business cycles. It provides extensions including the role of the central bank, of direct democracy, and the cycles in European communist countries, as well as discussing policy relevance.


The Political Economy of Democratic Decentralization

The Political Economy of Democratic Decentralization

Author: James Manor

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13:

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Nearly all countries worldwide are now experimenting with decentralization. Their motivation are diverse. Many countries are decentralizing because they believe this can help stimulate economic growth or reduce rural poverty, goals central government interventions have failed to achieve. Some countries see it as a way to strengthen civil society and deepen democracy. Some perceive it as a way to off-load expensive responsibilities onto lower level governments. Thus, decentralization is seen as a solution to many different kinds of problems. This report examines the origins and implications decentralization from a political economy perspective, with a focus on its promise and limitations. It explores why countries have often chosen not to decentralize, even when evidence suggests that doing so would be in the interests of the government. It seeks to explain why since the early 1980s many countries have undertaken some form of decentralization. This report also evaluates the evidence to understand where decentralization has considerable promise and where it does not. It identifies conditions needed for decentralization to succeed. It identifies the ways in which decentralization can promote rural development. And it names the goals which decentralization will probably not help achieve.


The Political Economy of Budget Deficits

The Political Economy of Budget Deficits

Author: Mr.Alberto Alesina

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 1994-08-01

Total Pages: 48

ISBN-13: 1451850689

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This paper provides a critical survey of the literature on politico-institutional determinants of the government budget. We organize our discussion around two questions: Why did certain OECD countries, but not others, accumulate large public debts? Why did these fiscal imbalances appear in the last 20 years rather than before? We begin by discussing the “tax smoothing” model and conclude that this approach alone cannot provide complete answers to these questions. We will then proceed to a discussion of political economy models, which we organize in six groups: (i) models based upon opportunistic policymakers and naive voters with “fiscal illusion;” (ii) models of intergenerational redistributions; (iii) models of debt as a strategic variable, linking the current government with the next one; (iv) models of coalition governments; (v) models of geographically dispersed interests; and (vi) models emphasizing the effects of budgetary institutions. We conclude by briefly discussing policy implications.


Guidelines for Public Expenditure Management

Guidelines for Public Expenditure Management

Author: Mr.Jack Diamond

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 1999-07-01

Total Pages: 84

ISBN-13: 9781557757876

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Traditionally, economics training in public finances has focused more on tax than public expenditure issues, and within expenditure, more on policy considerations than the more mundane matters of public expenditure management. For many years, the IMF's Public Expenditure Management Division has answered specific questions raised by fiscal economists on such missions. Based on this experience, these guidelines arose from the need to provide a general overview of the principles and practices observed in three key aspects of public expenditure management: budget preparation, budget execution, and cash planning. For each aspect of public expenditure management, the guidelines identify separately the differing practices in four groups of countries - the francophone systems, the Commonwealth systems, Latin America, and those in the transition economies. Edited by Barry H. Potter and Jack Diamond, this publication is intended for a general fiscal, or a general budget, advisor interested in the macroeconomic dimension of public expenditure management.


Comparative Public Budgeting

Comparative Public Budgeting

Author: George M. Guess

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2021-01-07

Total Pages: 287

ISBN-13: 1107198291

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This analysis of budgetary systems and policies across the world examines how politics, culture, and economics influence public finance.


Fiscal Decentralization Reforms

Fiscal Decentralization Reforms

Author: Michal Plaček

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-05-05

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 3030467589

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This book examines the impacts of fiscal decentralization reforms on the efficiency of local governments in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. By offering a comparative perspective and by applying econometric methods and regression models, it analyses various reform trajectories and their effects on individual CEE countries. Furthermore, the book discusses input and output indicators for evaluating the efficiency of municipalities. Readers will learn about the common features of these countries, the impact of path dependence, and future prospects for decentralization reforms. In closing, the book discusses modern management and administration methods, opportunities for cooperation between municipalities, co-creative service delivery, and other measures that could improve the efficiency of public service provision.


Decentralized Governance and Accountability

Decentralized Governance and Accountability

Author: Jonathan A. Rodden

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2019-02-28

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 110849790X

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Reviews recent lessons about decentralized governance and implications for future development programs and policies.


Democracy, Dictatorship, and Default

Democracy, Dictatorship, and Default

Author: Cameron Ballard-Rosa

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2020-08-13

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 1108875319

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that, in the coming years, more than fifty countries are at risk of default. Yet we understand little about the political determinants of this decision to renege on promises to international creditors. This book develops and tests a unified theory of how domestic politics explains sovereign default across dictatorships and democracies. Professor Ballard-Rosa argues that both democratic and autocratic governments will choose to default when it is necessary for political survival; however, regime type has a significant impact on what specific kinds of threats leaders face. While dictatorships are concerned with avoiding urban riots, democratic governments are concerned with losing elections, in particular the support of rural voting blocs. Using cross-national data and historical case studies, Ballard-Rosa shows that leaders under each regime type are more likely to default when doing so allows them to keep funding costly policies supporting critical bases of support.