Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze a market for microfinance in a region of a developing nation in which all projects are either of high or low quality. There is adverse selection because only borrowers know whether their project is of high or low quality but the microfinance...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze a market for microfinance in a region of a developing nation in which all projects are either of high or low quality. There is adverse selection because only borrowers know whether their project is of high or low quality but the microfinance...

We first construct a theoretical model of tax evasion in a stylized developing country in which all taxpayers have either high or low income. The key problem is that the high income taxpayers may underreport their income. An individual income tax return can only be verified with an audit that...

We first review the literature relating to the protection of the modern sector in developing countries (DCs). We then discuss the connections between protection, economic dualism, and optimal environmental policy in DCs. Next, we construct an intertemporal model of the environmental policy...

We examine two issues pertaining to the conduct of environmental policy in developing countries (DCs). First, when faced with a self-financing constraint, should an environmental authority (EA) raise/lower pollution taxes over time or should it run a deficit/surplus? Second, given recent...

We analyze the design of international environmental agreements (IEAs) for developing countries (DCs) by a supra-national governmental authority (SNGA).We focus on the interaction between an asymmetrically informed SNGA, national governments, and polluting firms in DCs. Two scenarios are...

We study two issues relating to the conduct of environmental policy in developing countries (DCs). First, when faced with a self-financing constraint, should an environmental authority (EA) raise/lower pollution taxes over time or should it run a deficit/surplus? Second, given recent findings...

Small farmers in many tropical developing countries practice swidden agriculture. A key aspect of swidden agriculture is the time period during which the land is left fallow. This paper uses a new ecological-economic approach to study the fallow period and to determine the optimal length of this...