In this paper, we argue that in designing government debt and tax-transfer policies, it is important to consider their implications for the allocation of risk between generations. There is no reason to presume that the market or the family can allocate risk efficiently to future generations,...

There are at least two competing visions for the future National Information Infrastructure. One model is based on the application-blind architecture of the Internet; the other is based on the application- aware architecture of cable TV systems and online services. Awareness is the extent to...

This paper shows, using a standard CAPM model of security prices in a world market, that even small countries can affect the price of domestically issued risky securities, while large countries can affect the prices of all securities. As a result, countries have the incentive to set tax rates...

Hal Varian, of UC Berkeley, points out that randomization could help avoid the adverse selection in the Treasury's proposed auctions of mortgage backed securities.

Website morphing seems to be a useful technique, with applications beyond matching cognitive style.

This is a set for frequently asked questions (and answers) about the economic, institutional, and technological structure of the Internet. The authors describe the current state of the Internet, discuss some of the pressing economic and regulatory problems, and speculate about future developments.