Indonesia is currently facing some severe challenges, both in political affairs and in economic management. One of these challenges is the recently enacted decentralization program, now well underway, which promises to have some wide-ranging consequences. This edited volume presents original...

Intergovernmental finance is a significant source of sub-national finance in most countries. In both industrial and developing countries, formula based "manna from heaven" general purpose transfers dominate but co-exist with highly intrusive micro-managed "command and control" specific purpose...

During the past decade, Indonesia has transformed itself from centralized governance to decentralized local governance. Local governments were given extensive expenditure responsibilities while keeping the tax system centralized. To finance decentralized provincial-local expenditures, Indonesia...

This paper reviews the conceptual challenges as well as lessons from worldwide experiences in implementing public services and expenditure need compensation in fiscal equalization transfers with a view to developing guidance for practitioners. The paper concludes that while in theory a strong...

The almost unanimous passage of a landmark consensus constitutional amendment "the 18th Constitutional Amendment" restored Pakistan's constitution to its original intent of a decentralized federation of four provinces as envisaged in the 1956 and 1973 constitutions. This amendment was hailed by...

The anti-corruption strategy the World Bank announced in September 1997 defined corruption as the "use of public office for private gain" and called for the Bank to address corruption along four dimensions: 1) Preventing fraud and corruption in Bank projects; 2) Helping countries that request...

This paper provides a selective survey of the theory and practice of intergovernmental transfers with a view to developing a broad agenda for reform. It discusses the economic rationale for intergovernmental transfers and its implications for the design of transfers. Issues and options in the...

In this paper we specify a dynamic general equilibrium framework to evaluate the cost effectiveness of incentives for industrial and technological development offered through the tax code in Pakistan. The model enables us to estimate adjustment effects on factor use and output arising from a tax...

Mexico has experimented with a number of tax instruments designed to promote private capital formation. Among such initiatives are general and industry specific tax credits, employment tax credits, and corporate tax reductions. This paper examines the relative efficacy of such instruments using...