The recent Asian currency crisis was caused by large prospective fiscal deficits associated with implicit bailout guarantees to failing banking systems. Absent the political will to raise taxes or cut spending, governments must resort to seignorage revenues to pay for the bailout of the banking...

Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- About the data -- Introduction -- The world by income, FY2017 -- The world by region -- Sustainable development goals -- 1. No poverty -- 2. Zero hunger -- 3. Good health and well-being -- 4. Quality education -- 5. Gender equality -- 6. Clean water and sanitation...