The paper presents possible approaches for measuring the quality of life together with their strengths and weaknesses. We identify 10 outcome indicators, which could help not only to set targets, but also as a quantitative benchmark for structural policy evaluation in Slovakia. In addition to...

The volume collects the essays presented at the 15th Workshop on Public Finance organised by Banca d'Italia in Perugia from 4 to 6 April 2013. The workshop focused on the link between fiscal policy and macroeconomic imbalances and comprised four sessions. The first session concentrated on the...

Switzerland has had a long-standing surplus on its current account. But over the past 15 years that surplus has surged to levels unmatched by nearly any other OECD country at any point. This paper looks at the surplus from a balance of payments vantage point as well as from the optic of the...

Based on 2005 estimates of National Transfer Accounts for South Africa, this paper investigates the resource flows across ages within the generational economy. The paper provides estimates of the lifecycle deficit and describes the financing of the deficit. The final section of the paper...

In summarizing the five Mexican cases studied for the Institutions and Development project, The case studies summarized here were conducted from 2005 to 2008, and this paper refers mainly to that period. Yet, whenever possible, information coming from published documents or statistical reports...

This article summarizes the principal findings of the studies on institutions and development as they refer to the Dominican case study, in the context of the Project Institutions and Development in Latin America, which is directed by Alejandro Portes of the University of Princeton. The project...

This paper’s main thesis is that Chile’s developmental performance of recent decades was underpinned by significant and systematic institutional change, and that this change is closely related with its transformation from a state-centered society to a market centered one. The analysis will...

This paper discusses the development of public expenditure in the Netherlands since 1850. Why did public expenditure increase from 14% GDP in 1850, nearly 20% in 1921, 30% GDP in 1950 and over 60% GDP in 1983? Dutch public expenditure has fallen to less than 50% GDP in 2003. Why did this...

Síntesis El gobierno de Humala se instaló en el año 2011 con el objetivo de combatir la exclusión social. ¿Hasta qué punto ello se ha logrado? Según las cifras oficiales del INEI, 450,842 personas han dejado de ser pobres entre el 2011 y 2012, pero en términos monetarios. Esto quiere...

This paper studies the evolution of European fiscal policies and the attempts at budgetary consolidation through three periods: the pre-Maastricht phase (to 1991); the run up to monetary union (1992-97), and finally the stability pact phase (1998 onwards). Using three separate indicators Ð the...