Using a sample of OECD countries, this paper finds that while fiscal rules succeeded in reducing total government expenditures and budget deficits in the medium term, they significantly affected the composition of government expenditure: the ratio of social transfers to government consumption...

List of figures -- List of tables -- List of boxes -- Acknowledgements -- Notes on contributors -- Acronyms and abbreviations -- The institutional and legal framework -- Introduction -- The macroeconomic framework for managing public finances / Richard Hemming -- Public financial management...

Carine Bouthevillain, Laurent Paul and Jeanne Pavot observe that government debt in major developed countries has reached historically high levels for peacetime. They argue that in many countries, especially in Europe, fiscal adjustment must come from the control of public spending. The first...

The International Handbook of Public Financial Management is a virtual encyclopedia of public financial management, written by topmost experts, many with a background in the IMF and World Bank. It provides the first comprehensive guide to the subject that has been published in more than ten...

The International Handbook of Public Financial Management is essential reading for governmental policy-makers, and practitioners and consultants working in this field, whose importance has been highlighted by the global financial crisis. It is a primary source for academics and students of...