A simple theory suggests that a common form of federal horizontal equalization grants shouldcause subnational governments to levy higher tax rates, distorting local tax bases and soincreasing federal transfers. To test this, I examine Canadian provincial tax policies in the1972-2002 period....

Conventional wisdom has it that proportional representation leads to more coalition governments and so to greater government spending, especially in redistributive categories favoured by special-interest groups. In contrast, we show in a theoretical model that first-past-the-post systems of...