In this chapter we are addressing the numerous cases of government failures in countries with transit economies and weak democratic traditions when the state is called upon to provide “pure public goods” (defense, security, and justice). In other words, the subject matter of this chapter...

The last decade’s Reforms in post-communist countries demonstrated, the aid proved to be most efficient in the countries where due to a timely schedule and consistency in reform implementation, governments can easily do without it. In case of Russia both the reformists and officials of...

Nuclear warfare, being calamitous, is nevertheless, unlike popular perception, far from being apocalyptic. In the article, we consider possible scenarios of nuclear war in a multi-polar nuclear world, arguing that a democratic society has good chances of victory against a totalitarian...

Today’s exaggerated, deferent focus on democracy (the ability of voters by means of elections to change the government, to cause power rotation) has led to some overvaluations of the institutions associated with this type of government and their ability to cure society of all ills. Thus, some...

The present article traces the dynamics of the priorities chosen by leading leftist parties in Israel vis-a-vis the functions of the state. During the period of the British Mandate they, like all leftist parties, maintained anti-militaristic views. Leaders of the Left more than once accused...

Historical data on US aid to Israel illustrates incentives of political leaders and special interests, first and foremost in Israel. As on the early stages of Alliance Israel military capabilities could provide valuable services to USA, undermining USSR influence in the Middle East, the current...

The correlation of state spending on pure and mixed public goods reflects the making of fundamental choices about state functions. Are pure public good "defense" normal quality provision compatible in Long Run with heavy spending on social sector (i.e. compatible with mixed public goods...

The analysis of events of the First Intifada focused on the question of how well founded the decisions made at the time were to introduce radical changes in the terror-fighting strategy. Most sources treat the process at Oslo as an outgrowth of Israel’s inability to suppress the Arab riots. We...

This work gives a review of the history of how a number of institutions emerged in developed countries. The authors attempt to analyse a connection between this process and the current economic growth phenomenon. The authors believe that stremgthenning guarantees of personal immunity provided...

This research is devoted to political and economic aspects of closed democracy institutions afoot. The book describes basic approaches to contrastive analysis in this field, typical problems that cause deviations in democratic institutional system’s development and major conditions and ways to...