Editor's Note: This is a collection of papers and edited transcription from a general session of the January 1998 Pacific Rim Allied Economic Organizations 3rd Biennial Conference, held in Bangkok, Thailand. Copyright 1999 Western Economic Association International.

Corruption is a very widespread phenomenon with most governments having a least some. While corruption usually meets with disapproval, it may have some redeeming features. It may make possible smaller or no salary payments to officials who, if carefully supervised, will still carry out their...

Tax reform can either increase or reduce the amount of rent seeking, depending essentially on what is done. If tax reform involved eliminating special treatment of special groups and using the money saved either to lower the general tax rate or to discontinue government activities that most...