The implementation of similar mass privatization programs in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria led to the emergence of hybrid voucher funds. The contradictions stemming from this hybrid nature gave rise to the evolution of the funds' nature and of their place in the national ownership structure....

On the basis of the ?challenge? North [1997 (1977)] identified in the works of Polanyi, we propose to outline the originality of North?s institutionalism, especially in comparison with ?new institutionalism? in economics as well as in sociology. Far from endorsing the dichotomy between market...

We introduce political economics into the soft budget constraint problem by asking if the timing of elections has the potential to harden budget constraints. Specifically, we ask under which circumstances the soft budget constraint problem is worse—with synchronized elections, i.e....

This paper investigates the sustainability of fiscal co-ordination between two regions according to three criteria of co-ordination: tax harmonization, fiscal cooperation and bargaining. We show that in a two-region model in which regions differ in size, bargaining is the only sustainable...

Dans cet article, nous dérivons de façon endogène le phénomène de contrainte budgétaire molle dans le cadre d’une fédération lorsque les décisions budgétaires sont prises au niveau décentralisé. Dans ce modèle, la mollesse de la contrainte budgétaire régionale découle de...

We introduce a new way to model the Bismarckian social insuance system, stressing its corporatist dimension. Comparing the Beveridgean, Bismarckian and Liberal systems according to the majority voting rule, we show that for a given distribution of risks inside society, the Liberal system wins if...