W. M. Gorman
C. Blackorby and A. F. Shorrocks (eds)
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198285212
- eISBN:
- 9780191596322
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198285213.003.0017
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Microeconomics
This short note, published in Metroeconomica 13 (1961), begins with the assumption that the preferences of the consumer exhibit linear Engel curves, which were shown in ’Community preference fields’ ...
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This short note, published in Metroeconomica 13 (1961), begins with the assumption that the preferences of the consumer exhibit linear Engel curves, which were shown in ’Community preference fields’ (Ch. 15) to be necessary for the existence of a community indifference map. Engel curves are curves showing the relationship between income level and spending on the consumption of some good, at a given price, and linear Engel curves crop up in several branches of economics. The note explores some of the properties of the preference fields in which linear Engel curves arise, and, in particular, of those in which the marginal propensity to consume each good is an absolute constant. The preference fields are characterized by closed‐form representations in terms of both the indirect utility function and the cost function. An application to international trade theory is discussed.Less
This short note, published in Metroeconomica 13 (1961), begins with the assumption that the preferences of the consumer exhibit linear Engel curves, which were shown in ’Community preference fields’ (Ch. 15) to be necessary for the existence of a community indifference map. Engel curves are curves showing the relationship between income level and spending on the consumption of some good, at a given price, and linear Engel curves crop up in several branches of economics. The note explores some of the properties of the preference fields in which linear Engel curves arise, and, in particular, of those in which the marginal propensity to consume each good is an absolute constant. The preference fields are characterized by closed‐form representations in terms of both the indirect utility function and the cost function. An application to international trade theory is discussed.
David McKay
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198296775
- eISBN:
- 9780191685279
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198296775.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, European Union
This book examines the decision to adopt European Monetary Union (EMU) as a federal bargain by the European Union, designed to provide the countries of Europe with a bulwark against the volatility of ...
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This book examines the decision to adopt European Monetary Union (EMU) as a federal bargain by the European Union, designed to provide the countries of Europe with a bulwark against the volatility of the international economy. Although the precise motives of the participants varied from country to country, all were agreed that only federal-like political and economic arrangements would provide a guarantee of economic and political stability. The book provides a coherent theoretical framework for understanding the decisions taken at Maastricht and later. By making comparisons with other federations, the book also examines the political and economic conditions under which federations succeed or fail. It concludes that EMU will only be politically sustainable if novel ways are found to limit centrally imposed fiscal and spending policies.Less
This book examines the decision to adopt European Monetary Union (EMU) as a federal bargain by the European Union, designed to provide the countries of Europe with a bulwark against the volatility of the international economy. Although the precise motives of the participants varied from country to country, all were agreed that only federal-like political and economic arrangements would provide a guarantee of economic and political stability. The book provides a coherent theoretical framework for understanding the decisions taken at Maastricht and later. By making comparisons with other federations, the book also examines the political and economic conditions under which federations succeed or fail. It concludes that EMU will only be politically sustainable if novel ways are found to limit centrally imposed fiscal and spending policies.
Justin Grimmer, Sean J. Westwood, and Solomon Messing
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691162614
- eISBN:
- 9781400852666
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691162614.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Constituents often fail to hold their representatives accountable for federal spending decisions—even though those very choices have a pervasive influence on American life. Why does this happen? ...
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Constituents often fail to hold their representatives accountable for federal spending decisions—even though those very choices have a pervasive influence on American life. Why does this happen? Breaking new ground in the study of representation, this book demonstrates how legislators skillfully inform constituents with strategic communication and how this facilitates or undermines accountability. Using a massive collection of Congressional texts and innovative experiments and methods, the book shows how legislators create an impression of influence through credit claiming messages. Anticipating constituents' reactions, legislators claim credit for programs that elicit a positive response, making constituents believe their legislator is effectively representing their district. This spurs legislators to create and defend projects popular with their constituents. Yet legislators claim credit for much more—they announce projects long before they begin, deceptively imply they deserve credit for expenditures they had little role in securing, and boast about minuscule projects. Unfortunately, legislators get away with seeking credit broadly because constituents evaluate the actions that are reported, rather than the size of the expenditures. This book raises critical questions about how citizens hold their political representatives accountable and when deception is allowable in a democracy.Less
Constituents often fail to hold their representatives accountable for federal spending decisions—even though those very choices have a pervasive influence on American life. Why does this happen? Breaking new ground in the study of representation, this book demonstrates how legislators skillfully inform constituents with strategic communication and how this facilitates or undermines accountability. Using a massive collection of Congressional texts and innovative experiments and methods, the book shows how legislators create an impression of influence through credit claiming messages. Anticipating constituents' reactions, legislators claim credit for programs that elicit a positive response, making constituents believe their legislator is effectively representing their district. This spurs legislators to create and defend projects popular with their constituents. Yet legislators claim credit for much more—they announce projects long before they begin, deceptively imply they deserve credit for expenditures they had little role in securing, and boast about minuscule projects. Unfortunately, legislators get away with seeking credit broadly because constituents evaluate the actions that are reported, rather than the size of the expenditures. This book raises critical questions about how citizens hold their political representatives accountable and when deception is allowable in a democracy.
Janet Newman
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199266722
- eISBN:
- 9780191601941
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199266727.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Economy
Examines the social policies associated with 'third ways' in European social democracy. It focuses on the Third Way in terms of discourse (e.g. a rhetoric of reconciliation), values (e.g. solidarity, ...
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Examines the social policies associated with 'third ways' in European social democracy. It focuses on the Third Way in terms of discourse (e.g. a rhetoric of reconciliation), values (e.g. solidarity, equity), and policy goals and mechanisms (e.g. maximizing employment; containing public spending and strengthening the social investment component of welfare states). Our main conclusion is that the current position is best represented by one-third way with several variants, and that there is greater similarity on the level of policy content than on values or discourse.Less
Examines the social policies associated with 'third ways' in European social democracy. It focuses on the Third Way in terms of discourse (e.g. a rhetoric of reconciliation), values (e.g. solidarity, equity), and policy goals and mechanisms (e.g. maximizing employment; containing public spending and strengthening the social investment component of welfare states). Our main conclusion is that the current position is best represented by one-third way with several variants, and that there is greater similarity on the level of policy content than on values or discourse.
John Ameriks and Olivia S. Mitchell (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199549108
- eISBN:
- 9780191720734
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199549108.001.0001
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Pensions and Pension Management
As Baby Boomers are now in their 60s, policymaker and media attention is becoming focused on how this generation will manage during its long period in retirement. This book acknowledges that many, ...
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As Baby Boomers are now in their 60s, policymaker and media attention is becoming focused on how this generation will manage during its long period in retirement. This book acknowledges that many, though not all, in this age group have accumulated substantial assets, so they are now asking themselves what they will do with what they have. The book explores of how people entering retirement will deploy their accumulated assets in the near and long term to meet their myriad spending, investment, and other objectives. The book studies emerging issues regarding assets and expectations on the verge of retirement, including uncertainty regarding life expectancy and morbidity. It is composed of chapters from contributors including a Nobel Laureate and a wonderful mix of academics and practitioners from the legal, financial, and economic fields.Less
As Baby Boomers are now in their 60s, policymaker and media attention is becoming focused on how this generation will manage during its long period in retirement. This book acknowledges that many, though not all, in this age group have accumulated substantial assets, so they are now asking themselves what they will do with what they have. The book explores of how people entering retirement will deploy their accumulated assets in the near and long term to meet their myriad spending, investment, and other objectives. The book studies emerging issues regarding assets and expectations on the verge of retirement, including uncertainty regarding life expectancy and morbidity. It is composed of chapters from contributors including a Nobel Laureate and a wonderful mix of academics and practitioners from the legal, financial, and economic fields.
Jochen Clasen
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199270712
- eISBN:
- 9780191603266
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199270716.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Economy
The chapter puts the book into the context of the contemporary discussion on welfare state reform, and reflects on major concepts and guiding notions, such as retrenchment, re-calibration, and ...
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The chapter puts the book into the context of the contemporary discussion on welfare state reform, and reflects on major concepts and guiding notions, such as retrenchment, re-calibration, and restructuring. It argues in favour of a robust conceptualisation and operationalisation of the ‘dependent variable’, combining both quantitative parameters, such as social spending, with qualitative ‘social rights’ indicators. Furthermore, the chapter underlines the interest both in capturing changes in policy direction (expansion or retrenchment) as well as in assessing policy profiles or patterns of change.Less
The chapter puts the book into the context of the contemporary discussion on welfare state reform, and reflects on major concepts and guiding notions, such as retrenchment, re-calibration, and restructuring. It argues in favour of a robust conceptualisation and operationalisation of the ‘dependent variable’, combining both quantitative parameters, such as social spending, with qualitative ‘social rights’ indicators. Furthermore, the chapter underlines the interest both in capturing changes in policy direction (expansion or retrenchment) as well as in assessing policy profiles or patterns of change.
John Ameriks and Olivia S. Mitchell
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199549108
- eISBN:
- 9780191720734
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199549108.003.0001
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Pensions and Pension Management
As Baby Boomers move into their 60s, they are focusing policymaker and media attention on how their generation will manage the retirement phase of their lifetime. This book acknowledges that many, ...
More
As Baby Boomers move into their 60s, they are focusing policymaker and media attention on how their generation will manage the retirement phase of their lifetime. This book acknowledges that many, though not all, in this older cohort have accumulated substantial assets, so for them, the question is what will they do with what they have? It provides a detailed exploration of how people entering retirement will deploy their accumulated assets in the near and long term, so to best meet their myriad spending, investment, and other objectives.Less
As Baby Boomers move into their 60s, they are focusing policymaker and media attention on how their generation will manage the retirement phase of their lifetime. This book acknowledges that many, though not all, in this older cohort have accumulated substantial assets, so for them, the question is what will they do with what they have? It provides a detailed exploration of how people entering retirement will deploy their accumulated assets in the near and long term, so to best meet their myriad spending, investment, and other objectives.
Erik Hurst
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199549108
- eISBN:
- 9780191720734
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199549108.003.0003
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Pensions and Pension Management
This chapter summarizes five facts from the recent literature on consumption behavior during retirement. Most importantly, it shows that there is substantial heterogeneity in spending changes at ...
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This chapter summarizes five facts from the recent literature on consumption behavior during retirement. Most importantly, it shows that there is substantial heterogeneity in spending changes at retirement across consumption categories. Observed declines in spending during retirement are limited to food and work-related expenses. Even though food spending declines during retirement, actual food intake remains constant. Furthermore, the literature shows that there is substantial heterogeneity across households in the change in expenditure associated with retirement. Much of this heterogeneity, however, can be explained by households involuntarily retiring. Overall, the evidence suggests that the standard model of lifecycle consumption augmented with home production and uncertain health shocks does well in explaining the consumption patterns of most households as they transition into retirement.Less
This chapter summarizes five facts from the recent literature on consumption behavior during retirement. Most importantly, it shows that there is substantial heterogeneity in spending changes at retirement across consumption categories. Observed declines in spending during retirement are limited to food and work-related expenses. Even though food spending declines during retirement, actual food intake remains constant. Furthermore, the literature shows that there is substantial heterogeneity across households in the change in expenditure associated with retirement. Much of this heterogeneity, however, can be explained by households involuntarily retiring. Overall, the evidence suggests that the standard model of lifecycle consumption augmented with home production and uncertain health shocks does well in explaining the consumption patterns of most households as they transition into retirement.
William F. Sharpe, Jason S. Scott, and John G. Watson
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199549108
- eISBN:
- 9780191720734
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199549108.003.0009
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Pensions and Pension Management
Today's retirees face the daunting task of determining appropriate investment and spending strategies for their accumulated savings. Financial economists have addressed their problem using an ...
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Today's retirees face the daunting task of determining appropriate investment and spending strategies for their accumulated savings. Financial economists have addressed their problem using an expected utility framework. In contrast, many financial advisors rely instead on rules of thumb. This chapter shows that some of the popular rules are inconsistent with expected utility maximization, since they subject retirees to avoidable, non-market risk. It also highlights the importance of earmarking ‘the existence of a one-to-one correspondence between investments and future spending’ and shows that a natural way to implement earmarking is to create a lockbox strategy.Less
Today's retirees face the daunting task of determining appropriate investment and spending strategies for their accumulated savings. Financial economists have addressed their problem using an expected utility framework. In contrast, many financial advisors rely instead on rules of thumb. This chapter shows that some of the popular rules are inconsistent with expected utility maximization, since they subject retirees to avoidable, non-market risk. It also highlights the importance of earmarking ‘the existence of a one-to-one correspondence between investments and future spending’ and shows that a natural way to implement earmarking is to create a lockbox strategy.
Leigh A. Gardner
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199661527
- eISBN:
- 9780191744877
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199661527.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Economic History, British and Irish Modern History
How much did the British Empire cost, and how did Britain pay for it? This volume explores a source of funds much neglected in research on the financial structure of the Empire, namely revenue raised ...
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How much did the British Empire cost, and how did Britain pay for it? This volume explores a source of funds much neglected in research on the financial structure of the Empire, namely revenue raised in the colonies themselves. Requiring colonies to be financially self-sufficient was one of a range of strategies the British government used to lower the cost of imperial expansion to its own Treasury. Focusing on British colonies in Africa, the book examines how their efforts to balance their budgets influenced their relationships with local political stakeholders as well as the imperial government. It finds that efforts to balance the budget shaped colonial public policy at every level, and that compromises made in the face of financial constraints shaped the political and economic institutions that were established by colonial administrations and inherited by the former colonies at independence.Using both quantitative data on public revenue and expenditure as well as archival records from archives in both the UK and the former colonies, this book follows the development of fiscal policies in British Africa from the beginning of colonial rule through the first years of independence. During the formative years of colonial administration, both the structure of taxation and the allocation of public spending reflected the two central goals of colonial rule: maintaining order as cheaply as possible, and encouraging export production. The book examines how the fiscal systems established before 1914 coped with the upheavals of subsequent decades, including the two world wars, the Great Depression, and finally the transfer of power.Less
How much did the British Empire cost, and how did Britain pay for it? This volume explores a source of funds much neglected in research on the financial structure of the Empire, namely revenue raised in the colonies themselves. Requiring colonies to be financially self-sufficient was one of a range of strategies the British government used to lower the cost of imperial expansion to its own Treasury. Focusing on British colonies in Africa, the book examines how their efforts to balance their budgets influenced their relationships with local political stakeholders as well as the imperial government. It finds that efforts to balance the budget shaped colonial public policy at every level, and that compromises made in the face of financial constraints shaped the political and economic institutions that were established by colonial administrations and inherited by the former colonies at independence.Using both quantitative data on public revenue and expenditure as well as archival records from archives in both the UK and the former colonies, this book follows the development of fiscal policies in British Africa from the beginning of colonial rule through the first years of independence. During the formative years of colonial administration, both the structure of taxation and the allocation of public spending reflected the two central goals of colonial rule: maintaining order as cheaply as possible, and encouraging export production. The book examines how the fiscal systems established before 1914 coped with the upheavals of subsequent decades, including the two world wars, the Great Depression, and finally the transfer of power.
Jude C. Hays
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195369335
- eISBN:
- 9780199871056
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195369335.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Economy
The chapter is organized as follows. The first section briefly reviews and critiques the literature on trade and government spending. The second section examines the empirical determinants of ...
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The chapter is organized as follows. The first section briefly reviews and critiques the literature on trade and government spending. The second section examines the empirical determinants of individual support for protectionism. The results show that lesser educated individuals, unemployed individuals, and individuals employed in tradable industries, particularly import competing industries, are the strongest opponents of free trade, but unemployment insurance and, to a lesser extent, other government programs can moderate their opposition. There is some evidence that active labor market spending is counterproductive in the sense that these programs lower support for free trade among workers in tradable sectors of the economy. Based on these findings, it is argued that the macro-level relationship between trade and government spending is a conditional one. More specifically, it is argued that (1) politicians respond more strongly to surges in imports and less so to expanding trade if it is balanced or generating trade surpluses; and (2) the extent to which politicians respond to rising imports will be a function of how many workers are employed in tradable industries and the overall level of unemployment.Less
The chapter is organized as follows. The first section briefly reviews and critiques the literature on trade and government spending. The second section examines the empirical determinants of individual support for protectionism. The results show that lesser educated individuals, unemployed individuals, and individuals employed in tradable industries, particularly import competing industries, are the strongest opponents of free trade, but unemployment insurance and, to a lesser extent, other government programs can moderate their opposition. There is some evidence that active labor market spending is counterproductive in the sense that these programs lower support for free trade among workers in tradable sectors of the economy. Based on these findings, it is argued that the macro-level relationship between trade and government spending is a conditional one. More specifically, it is argued that (1) politicians respond more strongly to surges in imports and less so to expanding trade if it is balanced or generating trade surpluses; and (2) the extent to which politicians respond to rising imports will be a function of how many workers are employed in tradable industries and the overall level of unemployment.
T.V. Paul and Norrin Ripsman
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393903
- eISBN:
- 9780199776832
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393903.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
In the past two decades, many have posited a correlation between the spread of globalization and the decline of the nation-state. In the realm of national security, advocates of the globalization ...
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In the past two decades, many have posited a correlation between the spread of globalization and the decline of the nation-state. In the realm of national security, advocates of the globalization thesis have argued that states' power has diminished relative to transnational governmental institutions, NGOs, and transnational capitalism. Initially, they pointed to declines in both global military spending (which has risen dramatically in recent years) and interstate war. But are these trends really indicative of the decline of nation-state's role as a guarantor of national security? This book tests the proposition against the available evidence and finds that the globalization school has largely got it wrong. The decline in interstate warfare can largely be attributed to the end of the Cold War, not globalization. Moreover, great powers (the US, China, and Russia) continue to pursue traditional nation-state strategies. Regional security arrangements like the EU and ASEAN have not achieved much, and weak states — the ones most impacted by the turmoil generated by globalization — are far more traditional in their approaches to national security, preferring to rely on their own resources rather than those of regional and transnational institutions.Less
In the past two decades, many have posited a correlation between the spread of globalization and the decline of the nation-state. In the realm of national security, advocates of the globalization thesis have argued that states' power has diminished relative to transnational governmental institutions, NGOs, and transnational capitalism. Initially, they pointed to declines in both global military spending (which has risen dramatically in recent years) and interstate war. But are these trends really indicative of the decline of nation-state's role as a guarantor of national security? This book tests the proposition against the available evidence and finds that the globalization school has largely got it wrong. The decline in interstate warfare can largely be attributed to the end of the Cold War, not globalization. Moreover, great powers (the US, China, and Russia) continue to pursue traditional nation-state strategies. Regional security arrangements like the EU and ASEAN have not achieved much, and weak states — the ones most impacted by the turmoil generated by globalization — are far more traditional in their approaches to national security, preferring to rely on their own resources rather than those of regional and transnational institutions.
Torben Iversen
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199206483
- eISBN:
- 9780191709715
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199206483.003.0010
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Political Economy
This chapter explores whether governments in different varieties of capitalism respond differently to common economic shocks. It is often assumed that such shocks have a homogenizing effect on ...
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This chapter explores whether governments in different varieties of capitalism respond differently to common economic shocks. It is often assumed that such shocks have a homogenizing effect on government policies, but I find the opposite to be the case (using OECD data and non-linear regression techniques). In economies with training systems that emphasize specific skills (CMEs), demand for social insurance is more sensitive to adverse economic shocks than in LMEs. In turn, polities with proportional representation (PR) are more sensitive to such demands, suggesting that PR is a complement to coordinated capitalism. The chapter also includes an analysis of the conditioning effects of wage bargaining institutions on shocks to the wage distribution, and concludes with a discussion of whether an increasingly bifurcated income and risk structure may change the politics of compensation.Less
This chapter explores whether governments in different varieties of capitalism respond differently to common economic shocks. It is often assumed that such shocks have a homogenizing effect on government policies, but I find the opposite to be the case (using OECD data and non-linear regression techniques). In economies with training systems that emphasize specific skills (CMEs), demand for social insurance is more sensitive to adverse economic shocks than in LMEs. In turn, polities with proportional representation (PR) are more sensitive to such demands, suggesting that PR is a complement to coordinated capitalism. The chapter also includes an analysis of the conditioning effects of wage bargaining institutions on shocks to the wage distribution, and concludes with a discussion of whether an increasingly bifurcated income and risk structure may change the politics of compensation.
John Ameriks, Michael Hess, and Liqian Ren
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199592609
- eISBN:
- 9780191594618
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199592609.003.0011
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Pensions and Pension Management
This chapter describes and evaluates alternative approaches to spending in retirement, including income annuities, common rules of thumb for spending used by financial planners and advisors, and the ...
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This chapter describes and evaluates alternative approaches to spending in retirement, including income annuities, common rules of thumb for spending used by financial planners and advisors, and the spending rules that have been incorporated into payout funds, a relatively new type of investment product designed to be used by investors in the spending stage of life.Less
This chapter describes and evaluates alternative approaches to spending in retirement, including income annuities, common rules of thumb for spending used by financial planners and advisors, and the spending rules that have been incorporated into payout funds, a relatively new type of investment product designed to be used by investors in the spending stage of life.
Justin Grimmer, Sean J. Westwood, and Solomon Messing
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691162614
- eISBN:
- 9781400852666
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691162614.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This introductory chapter provides an overview of how political representation occurs on government spending decisions—one of the most consequential powers of government. Political representation in ...
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This introductory chapter provides an overview of how political representation occurs on government spending decisions—one of the most consequential powers of government. Political representation in Congress is, in large part, about how elected officials decide how to spend federal money. While a large literature analyzes how district expenditures affect support for congressional incumbents, it remains unclear how constituents hold legislators accountable for expenditures—how constituents attribute spending to legislators, how constituents evaluate those expenditures, and how constituents reward or punish legislators for spending on projects. One reason for this lack of clarity is that constituents are unlikely to learn about the projects on their own. However, constituents' inability to track spending is not an indictment of their democratic competence. Instead, it reflects the many activities representatives perform and the subtle ways that federal expenditures occur.Less
This introductory chapter provides an overview of how political representation occurs on government spending decisions—one of the most consequential powers of government. Political representation in Congress is, in large part, about how elected officials decide how to spend federal money. While a large literature analyzes how district expenditures affect support for congressional incumbents, it remains unclear how constituents hold legislators accountable for expenditures—how constituents attribute spending to legislators, how constituents evaluate those expenditures, and how constituents reward or punish legislators for spending on projects. One reason for this lack of clarity is that constituents are unlikely to learn about the projects on their own. However, constituents' inability to track spending is not an indictment of their democratic competence. Instead, it reflects the many activities representatives perform and the subtle ways that federal expenditures occur.
David M. Hart
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199251902
- eISBN:
- 9780191719059
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199251902.003.0007
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Business History
This chapter argues that the state, broadly construed, helps to construct corporate technological capabilities. Thus, the business-state interaction in the process of technological innovation must be ...
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This chapter argues that the state, broadly construed, helps to construct corporate technological capabilities. Thus, the business-state interaction in the process of technological innovation must be a focus of business history research. Key concepts from social science research on national innovation systems are introduced and it is shown how they mesh with central tenets of recent work in business history. The chapter then advances four ways of thinking about the state — as organization, fisc, system of rules, and normative order — that lead toward potentially fruitful areas for historical research. This research agenda may lead the field toward an ‘interorganizational synthesis’ that builds on and enriches the best of contemporary business history.Less
This chapter argues that the state, broadly construed, helps to construct corporate technological capabilities. Thus, the business-state interaction in the process of technological innovation must be a focus of business history research. Key concepts from social science research on national innovation systems are introduced and it is shown how they mesh with central tenets of recent work in business history. The chapter then advances four ways of thinking about the state — as organization, fisc, system of rules, and normative order — that lead toward potentially fruitful areas for historical research. This research agenda may lead the field toward an ‘interorganizational synthesis’ that builds on and enriches the best of contemporary business history.
Norrin M. Ripsman and T. V. Paul
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393903
- eISBN:
- 9780199776832
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393903.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter investigates global trends from 1991 to 2008. In particular, it inquires whether the macro-level propositions identified in Chapter 1 have been borne out. Therefore, it considers whether ...
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This chapter investigates global trends from 1991 to 2008. In particular, it inquires whether the macro-level propositions identified in Chapter 1 have been borne out. Therefore, it considers whether the level of interstate conflict has declined, whether global defense spending has decreased, whether the threat of global terrorism has begun to supplant interstate warfare on the global security agenda, and whether regional and global multilateral security institutions have begun to supplant states as the primary security providers, as many globalization scholars have predicted. It is shown that global trends are not very consistent with the globalization-kills-the-national-security-state hypothesis. Moreover, to the extent that certain features of the contemporary international system are consistent with the globalization school's predictions, it remains unclear whether globalization is the sole cause (or even the primary cause), or whether something potentially less enduring — such as American hegemony, the defense/deterrence dominance of contemporary military technology, or a lull after the all-encompassing global clash that was the Cold War — may have been more instrumental.Less
This chapter investigates global trends from 1991 to 2008. In particular, it inquires whether the macro-level propositions identified in Chapter 1 have been borne out. Therefore, it considers whether the level of interstate conflict has declined, whether global defense spending has decreased, whether the threat of global terrorism has begun to supplant interstate warfare on the global security agenda, and whether regional and global multilateral security institutions have begun to supplant states as the primary security providers, as many globalization scholars have predicted. It is shown that global trends are not very consistent with the globalization-kills-the-national-security-state hypothesis. Moreover, to the extent that certain features of the contemporary international system are consistent with the globalization school's predictions, it remains unclear whether globalization is the sole cause (or even the primary cause), or whether something potentially less enduring — such as American hegemony, the defense/deterrence dominance of contemporary military technology, or a lull after the all-encompassing global clash that was the Cold War — may have been more instrumental.
John Hills
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199276646
- eISBN:
- 9780191601644
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199276641.003.0006
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Public and Welfare
Discusses social spending, its extent, and issues in the design of social security programmes, examining both public and private spending on areas that have traditionally come under the heading of ...
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Discusses social spending, its extent, and issues in the design of social security programmes, examining both public and private spending on areas that have traditionally come under the heading of the ‘welfare state’. Looks at public social spending in the UK, recent trends in it, and its relationship with government spending as a whole, including issues connected with the changing structure of social security, particularly the balance between ‘universal’ and means-tested benefits. Compares trends in social spending in the UK with those in other industrialized countries. Presents information on the changing roles over the last 20 years of public and private sectors in education, health care, income maintenance, housing, and personal care, distinguishing their roles in three different ways, depending on who is the provider of a service, who pays for it, and who is in control. Finally, examines public attitudes to social spending and its distribution, particularly towards means-testing, perceived problems in the social security system, and at whether the views of those using private welfare services towards the welfare state differ from others.Less
Discusses social spending, its extent, and issues in the design of social security programmes, examining both public and private spending on areas that have traditionally come under the heading of the ‘welfare state’. Looks at public social spending in the UK, recent trends in it, and its relationship with government spending as a whole, including issues connected with the changing structure of social security, particularly the balance between ‘universal’ and means-tested benefits. Compares trends in social spending in the UK with those in other industrialized countries. Presents information on the changing roles over the last 20 years of public and private sectors in education, health care, income maintenance, housing, and personal care, distinguishing their roles in three different ways, depending on who is the provider of a service, who pays for it, and who is in control. Finally, examines public attitudes to social spending and its distribution, particularly towards means-testing, perceived problems in the social security system, and at whether the views of those using private welfare services towards the welfare state differ from others.
John Hills
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199276646
- eISBN:
- 9780191601644
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199276641.003.0008
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Public and Welfare
Suggests that discussion of either tax or spending in isolation can easily be misleading. Discusses the combined impact of tax and public spending on income distribution in the UK, analysing ...
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Suggests that discussion of either tax or spending in isolation can easily be misleading. Discusses the combined impact of tax and public spending on income distribution in the UK, analysing differences between groups defined in different ways. Presents the distribution by income group of both social security benefits and other government services in kind – what is sometimes known as the ‘social wage’, and compares the distribution of these benefits from social spending with that of the taxes that pay for them, to see which income groups gain or lose from the combination. Examines what changes if a longer time horizon is used, and the focus is on redistribution over the life cycle or on intergenerational distribution. Finally, discusses public attitudes in the UK towards the redistributive role of government, and how these have changed over the last 20 years.Less
Suggests that discussion of either tax or spending in isolation can easily be misleading. Discusses the combined impact of tax and public spending on income distribution in the UK, analysing differences between groups defined in different ways. Presents the distribution by income group of both social security benefits and other government services in kind – what is sometimes known as the ‘social wage’, and compares the distribution of these benefits from social spending with that of the taxes that pay for them, to see which income groups gain or lose from the combination. Examines what changes if a longer time horizon is used, and the focus is on redistribution over the life cycle or on intergenerational distribution. Finally, discusses public attitudes in the UK towards the redistributive role of government, and how these have changed over the last 20 years.
Giorgia Brunello, Pietro Garibaldi, and Etienne Wasmer
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199210978
- eISBN:
- 9780191705786
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199210978.003.0008
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Public and Welfare
This chapter examines a few policy implications with respect to education and skills in Europe. Education systems in Europe have done a good job at supplying basic skills, thus suggesting that ...
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This chapter examines a few policy implications with respect to education and skills in Europe. Education systems in Europe have done a good job at supplying basic skills, thus suggesting that primary and secondary schooling in Europe functions relatively well. In contrast, where tertiary education is concerned, both enrolment and funding are substantially lower in Europe than in the US. The share of GDP devoted to higher education is three times less (2 percentage points lower) in Europe than in the US. One of the highest priorities should be to reduce this gap. There are three possibilities for this objective to be achieved. The first one is to re-allocate public spending away from secondary to tertiary education. However, this may not be desirable, given the evidence that well-financed secondary education may be one reason why Europe has experienced less inequality than the US. A second option is to raise the level of public deficit and public debt in order to increase spending on higher education. This is as unrealistic and undesirable as the first option: European countries already face tensions to increase finance for their social security (health and pensions), and are bound to a large extent by the Stability and Growth Pact. The third option is to open the doors to the possibility that private money should finance part of the education system. This could come partly from household money, by raising university fees by moderate amounts.Less
This chapter examines a few policy implications with respect to education and skills in Europe. Education systems in Europe have done a good job at supplying basic skills, thus suggesting that primary and secondary schooling in Europe functions relatively well. In contrast, where tertiary education is concerned, both enrolment and funding are substantially lower in Europe than in the US. The share of GDP devoted to higher education is three times less (2 percentage points lower) in Europe than in the US. One of the highest priorities should be to reduce this gap. There are three possibilities for this objective to be achieved. The first one is to re-allocate public spending away from secondary to tertiary education. However, this may not be desirable, given the evidence that well-financed secondary education may be one reason why Europe has experienced less inequality than the US. A second option is to raise the level of public deficit and public debt in order to increase spending on higher education. This is as unrealistic and undesirable as the first option: European countries already face tensions to increase finance for their social security (health and pensions), and are bound to a large extent by the Stability and Growth Pact. The third option is to open the doors to the possibility that private money should finance part of the education system. This could come partly from household money, by raising university fees by moderate amounts.
