Ideology and redistribution through public spending

Immigration and Public Spending

Immigration and Public Spending We examine the effect of immigration on public spending from a theoretical (political economic) and an empirical perspective. We distinguish between public spending on private goods and on public goods. Our model implies that whether immigration increases or decreases public spending primarily depends on native’s preferences for private versus public good spendin...

Ideology, science, and public policy.

I deologies—strong beliefs based on untestable assumptions—are the antithesis of science. Whether economic (the ‘‘invisible hand of the market’’ will solve social inequities ‘‘in the long run’’), religious (‘‘we’’ hold the sole truth of a divine entity), or political (our way is the best governance for assuring liberty and justice), these kinds of widespread beliefs are acceptable in individual...

Public Spending, Public Deficits and Government Coalitions

This study examines the relationship between types of government and level of public spending. There are two competing perspectives about the consequences of coalition governments for the size of public expenditures. The most common argument is that government spending increases under coalition governments, compared with one-party governments. Another line of thought contends that coalition gov...

Public sector unions and public spending *

This study examines the influence of public sector unions on the expansion of the public sector. Based on public goods theory, our paper models how unions influence the supply of and demand for public sector activities. On the demand side, public sector unions are special interests which advocate public sector expansion to policy makers; on the supply side, they exert pressure to maintain and e...

Ideology, Sociological Theories, and Public Policy