This paper examines broadly the intergovernmental structure in the Middle East and North Africa region, which has one of the most centralized government structures in the world. The authors address the reasons behind this centralized structure by looking first at the history behind the tax...

The paper examines empirically the changes in the tax mix of the OECD countries in response to economic growth from 1980 to 1999. It is found that economic growth, measured by GDP per capita, has had a significant effect on the tax mix of the OECD countries. Analysis reveals that different taxes...

This paper examines the effect of trade openness on the productivity of skilled and unskilled labor in a group of 36 developing countries using panel data and fixed effect approach. We have developed and utilized an empirical model that readily lends itself to testing the hypothesis posed. Our...

Previous analyses of population aging mainly focused on the social security implications of the aging trend. This paper addresses aging in an open economy framework with two regions that have politically responsive fiscal policy regarding education finance. Demographic shocks start an economic...

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has one of the most centralized government structures in the world. In this paper, we examine the causes of decentralization in the region by conducting a cross-country regression analysis. We use panel data for a set of MENA countries to understand...

With the aging of populations, particularly in more developed countries, retirees are becoming a politically influential group. Government budgets have been feeling the strain on social insurance, health care, and other programs that benefit the elderly. Yet spending on these programs has often...

"There have been important developments in the decentralization of the government structure in Turkey since the early 1980s. This paper examines economic development and growth in Turkish provinces. Although there is a rich literature on the economic effects of government decentralization from...