This paper analyzes the political economy of growth when agents and the government have finite horizons and equilibrium growth is inefficient. A quot;representativequot; government (that is, one whose preferences reflect those of its constituents) endowed merely with the ability to tax and...

Does an observation constitute stronger evidence for a theory if it was made after rather than before the theory was formulated, when it may have influenced the theory's construction? Philosophers have discussed this question (of "novel confirmation") but have lacked a formal model of scientific...

This paper analyzes the political economy of growth when agents and the government have finite horizons and equilibrium growth is inefficient. A "representative" government (i.e. one whose preferences reflect those of its constituents) endowed merely with the ability to tax and transfer can...