Using panel data for OECD nations for the period 2003-2009, the fixed-effects estimations in this study all provide strong support for the three central hypotheses considered here, namely: (1) the standard of living in a nation, measured in this study as the level of purchasing-power-parity...

The present paper examines the impact that budget deficits exercise on economic growth in the United States. Using a simple growth model that includes a variety of public policy variables, we provide Instrumental Variables (IV) estimates that indicate growth in the United States over time. The...

This study empirically investigates three hypotheses. The first is that higher levels of economic freedom in an economy promote a higher growth rate of economic activity and hence yield a higher growth rate of per capita real GDP in that economy. The second hypothesis is that higher quality...

This paper formulates a simple mathematical framework for the selection of an optimum "relative unanimity” collective decision rule. The approach is first to identify the benefits of moving from a rule of simple majority towards a rule of full unanimity. Then, the costs of moving from simple...

The issue of environmental sustainability is a controversial and extremely diverse multi-faceted topic that ranges from questions as to how to ensure that adequate investment in energy R&D and infrastructure will be undertaken, to state level renewable portfolio standards, to the impact of...

This study empirically investigates the impacts of central government budget deficits and economic freedom on per capita real economic growth in OECD nations over the period 2003–2008. Economic growth is measured by the percentage growth rate of purchasing-power-parity adjusted real per capita...