Fiscal fragmentation in decentralized countries : subsidiarity, solidarity and asymmetry

Bibliographic Information

Fiscal fragmentation in decentralized countries : subsidiarity, solidarity and asymmetry

edited by Richard M. Bird, Robert D. Ebel

E. Elgar, c2007

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Includes bibliographical references and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Most countries, developed and developing, are fiscally decentralized with regional and local governments of varying importance. In many of these countries, some of these sub-national governments differ substantially from others in terms of wealth, ethnic, religious, or linguistic composition. This book considers how fiscal arrangements may strengthen or weaken national solidarity and the effectiveness with which public services are provided. In particular, the nation's ability to cope with changes created by decentralization is explored. Through a series of case studies, the countries of Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Russia, Spain and Switzerland are examined with an eye to how their public finances are structured and how these arrangements act to promote equilibrium or turmoil in the nation state. This is the first detailed consideration of the link between asymmetry and intergovernmental finance, as well as the first detailed study of how asymmetrical fiscal arrangements work in practice in a variety of different countries. Policy analysts concerned with intergovernmental finance and/or political legitimacy issues will find this synthesis of interest, as will readers concerned with the public policy of the many fiscally fragmented countries profiled here.

Table of Contents

Contents: Preface PART I: INTRODUCTION 1. Subsidiarity, Solidarity and Asymmetry: Aspects of the Problem Richard M. Bird and Robert D. Ebel 2. The Country Studies: Comparisons and Conclusions Richard M. Bird, Robert D. Ebel and Sebastiana Gianci PART II: FEDERAL INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES 3. Reconciling Diversity with Equality: The Role of Intergovernmental Fiscal Arrangements in Maintaining an Effective State in Canada Richard M. Bird and Francois Vaillancourt 4. Germany at the Junction Between Solidarity and Subsidiarity Paul Bernd Spahn and Jan Werner 5. Accommodating Asymmetry Through Pragmatism: An Overview of Swiss Fiscal Federalism Bernard Dafflon PART III: NEW FEDERAL COUNTRIES 6. Belgium: A Unique Evolving Federalism Benoit Bayenet and Philippe de Bruycker 7. Fiscal Decentralization in Spain: An Asymmetric Transition to Democracy Teresa Garcia-Mila and Therese J. McGuire PART IV: COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION 8. Asymmetric Federalism in Russia: Cure or Poison? Jorge Martinez-Vazquez 9. Ethnic Minority Regions and Fiscal Decentralization in China: The Promises and Reality of Asymmetric Treatment Christine Wong PART V: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 10. Asymmetric Federalism in India M. Govinda Rao and Nirvikar Singh 11. Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations and State Building: The Case of Indonesia Bambang Brodjonegoro and J. Fitz G. Ford 12. Subsidiarity and Solidarity: Fiscal Decentralization in the Philippines Christine Wallich, Rosario Manasan and Saloua Sehili PART VI: POSTCONFLICT 13. Fiscal Federalism in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Subsidiarity and Solidarity in a Three-Nation State William Fox and Christine Wallich Index

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Details
  • NCID
    BA81518155
  • ISBN
    • 9781845424022
  • Country Code
    uk
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    Cheltenham, U.K.
  • Pages/Volumes
    x, 440 p.
  • Size
    24 cm
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