Recent developments suggest that well-intended climate policies--including carbon taxes and subsidies for renewable energy—might not accomplish what policy makers intend. Hans-Werner Sinn has described a “green paradox,” arguing that these policies could hasten global warming by...

The trend toward privatization, which began with privatization experiments in the UK under Margaret Thatcher and the deregulation of the telecommunications sector in the United States, has attracted the attention of policymakers over the past two decades. Privatization is broadly supported by...

Intro -- Series Foreword -- Introduction -- 1 - Privatizing Network Industries -- 2 - Network Utilities in the United States: Sector Reforms without Privatization -- 3 - Privatization in Austria: Some Theoretical Reasons and Performance Measures -- 4 - Privatization in Denmark, 1980-2002 -- 5 -...

Economists argue that such market-based policy instruments as environmental taxes and emission trading systems are the best way to target the negative effects of pollution. Yet there is no agreement about whether the use of these instruments is sufficient, whether they are deployed efficiently,...

Intro -- Contents -- Series Foreword -- 1 Introduction -- I Motivation -- 2 From Theory to Practice -- 3 The Political Economy of Climate Instruments -- II Empirical Aspects -- 4 How Trust in Governments Influences the Acceptance of Environmental Taxes -- 5 Political Determinants of Fossil Fuel...

Debates over post-Kyoto Protocol climate change policy often take note of two issues: the feasibility and desirability of international cooperation on climate change policies, given the failure of the United States to ratify Kyoto and the very limited involvement of developing countries, and the...

Guns and Butter examines the causes and consequences of war from a political economy perspective, taking as its premise that a consideration of the incentives and constraints faced by individuals and groups is paramount in understanding conflict decision making. The chapter authors - leading...

Government subsidies to energy are widespread and represent a heavy burden on public budgets in many countries. Both producers and consumers may be subsidized; the most common subsidies are for motor fuel consumption and electricity production and consumption. The subsidies to consumers often...