This article examines the scope for expenditure of each German federal state (including local governments) to achieve a balanced budget in 2020 when the debt brake fully enters into force. After deducting interest and pension burden, a major group of states could afford marked annual increases...

This paper examines the impact of economic and political integration on the vertical government structure. It argues that, by increasing the market size and the benefits of decentralized provision of public goods, integration triggered the recent process of decentralization in OECD countries. A...

Mit der jüngsten Föderalismusreform soll unter anderem die Verbindlichkeit der Verschuldungsgrenzen erhöht werden. Hierdurch steigen die Anforderungen an die Haushalts- und Finanzplanung, da unerwartete Entwicklungen zukünftig verstärkt im Rahmen der regulären Grenzen abgefedert werden...

With the 2005 reform of the Stability and Growth Pact, a commitment was made to actively consolidate public finances in good times and to use unexpected extra revenues for deficit and debt reduction and not for additional expenditure. Against this background this study provides evidence of a lax...

The book offers a comprehensive empirical analysis of the determinants of changes in the distribution of expenditure and revenue-raising powers among fiscal tiers in OECD countries. Using a new indicator of fiscal decentralisation which accounts for subnational decision-making autonomy, common...