State Policy Under Devolution: Redistribution and Centralization

The Devolution Tortoise and the Centralization Hare

There has been much talk in recent years of devolving powers and functions from the federal government to the states. Some observers even proclaim a “devolution revolution” (Nathan 1996), the result of which will be a more efficient and effective federal government and more robust and responsive states. The generally recognized objectives of devolution include (1) more efficient provision and p...

Large-Scale Renewables: Policy and Practice Under Devolution

Evolution and devolution of national physical activity policy in Canada.

BACKGROUND Low levels of physical activity (PA) and fitness have long been a government concern in Canada; however, more than half of adults are inactive. This article examines factors influencing policy development and implementation using Canadian PA policy as a case study. METHODS Current and historical PA policy documents were amassed from a literature review, audit of government and non ...

Redistribution policy: A European model

Following the rationale for regional redistribution programs described in the official documents of the European Union, this paper studies a simple multicountry model built around two regions: a core and a periphery. Technological spillovers link firms’ productivity within each of the two regions, and each country’s territory falls partly in the core and partly in the periphery, but the exact s...

The Welfare State and Redistribution

Because it taxes and spends, the welfare state is by definition redistributive, but this does not automatically entail that it creates more equality. A quick historical glance at social reform will dispel of any notion that the welfare state was pursued for egalitarian reasons. Its foundations were typically laid by conservative reformers who, like Bismarck, sought primarily to reproduce, rathe...