This paper presents new and official survey information on bank regulations in 142 countries and makes comparisons with two earlier surveys. The data do not suggest that countries have primarily reformed their bank regulations for the better over the last decade. Following Basel guidelines many...

Banking/financial crises have occurred in countries at all levels of income and in all parts of the world. These crises not only occur too frequently, but also are too costly. Countries everywhere therefore have enacted laws that established regulatory authorities with responsibility to...

This article investigates an alternative which permits tax reduction without significant effects on the output of public services: private-sector production of public services. Empirical evidence on a wide variety of services is examined: refuse collection, fire protection, debt collection,...