Scientific revolutions require sound evidence overwhelmingly contradictory to the prevailing paradigm, and willingness to believe such evidence. Histories of science have traditionally concentrated on the first factor. The second factor indicates, however, that attitude change may play an...

When the structure of tax revenues - the proportion of revenues earned by income, consumption and wealth taxes - is treated as a pure public good, a useful framework emerges for analyzing interrelationships among taxpayers' preferences, tax structure and tax reform. The 'optimal' tax structure...

Results of U.S. survey of attitudes toward government were recently published. Respondents were asked whether spending on various government programs should be increased or cut. A similar set of questions were asked a decade ago. Comparisons reveal preferences for various public goods have...