[Reader-list] DSE Seminar

[Prashant Pandey]

With the support of Centre for Civil Society

Centre for Development Economics

and

Department of Economics

Delhi School of Economics

ANNOUNCE

A SEMINAR

Autocratic, Democratic and Optimal Government: Fiscal choices and
economic outcomes

by

William A. Niskanen

Chairman, CATO Institute,

Washington D. C.



On Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.

Venue: Seminar Room (Room No.35 First Floor)



All are cordially invited.



For the forthcoming seminars please visit http://www.cdedse.org/fe.htm

Abstracts

All types of government face two major fiscal decisions: the level of
government services and the average tax rate. This paper develops
models of autocratic, democratic, and optimal government. The effects
of alternative government structures are estimated using a common set
of parameters based on U.S. data. Output and government services are
higher in a democracy than in an autocracy, but the tax rate is lower.
Output is even higher with an optimal government and both government
services and the tax rate are lower. The relative outcomes in any
government depend strongly on the fiscal horizon of those who govern.