Government 'strength' and budget deficits in advanced democracies

Abstract. Roubini and Sachs provided the first systematic test of the idea that political structure the size, composition, diversity, and/or stability of a governing cabinet - is related to budget deficits. In this paper, we take issue with several of Roubini and Sachs' choices concerning data and operationalization, and argue that their approach cannot offer clear conclusions about the relationship between national political structure and budget deficits. We test the 'strength of government' hypothesis using central government finance data on 16 countries, 1959–1990. We measure deficits in a way that maximizes comparability across countries but avoids the potential problems of standardizing by GDP. We examine carefully the definition and measurement of 'strength of government', in light of recent theoretical and empirical work in comparative politics. We perform pooled time-series regression analysis of deficit change in 16 OECD countries for the period 1959–1990. We argue that while structural differences between governments may have little impact on deficits during good economic times, they may become especially noticeable and influential during periods when governments struggle to cope with severe economic problems.     

Globalization,the European Union,and Domestic Governance in Telecoms and Electricity

The European utilities sectors exemplify the transformation of regulatory capitalism, with far reaching changes occurring at both European Union and domestic levels. Liberalization is the dominant trend, accompanied by the emergence of regulatory regimes designed to promote competition in the imperfect markets characteristic of the utilities sectors. These general trends, however, conceal cross‐sectoral and cross‐national variations in the pace and extent of liberalization and in the composition of the emergent regulatory regimes. This article uses a stepwise comparative method to analyze regulatory change in the electricity and telecoms sectors in Germany and France. It explains the pattern of similarity and variation in terms of the interplay between globalization pressures, the policy transfer effects of EU institutions, and the domestic institutional environment.     

A Good CEO：Saint or Tyrant？

WHAT’S in a title There’s CEO,President and Chairman,but these titles are often used interchangeably and usually just mean Big Boss.Or Da Lao Ban.Or simply Leader.After all,leadership is what it’s all about.I asked a couple of friends to name the people who instantly come to mind if you say "boss." Their answers were: Richard Branson (Virgin);Rupert Murdoch (News International);Steve Jobs (Apple);Silvio Berlusconi (Italian Prime Minister and businessman);Sepp Blatter (FIFA);     

This Tangled Web

OH! What a tangled web we weave when fir st practise to deceive!" So said Sir Walter Scott in his epic poem Marmion, published in 1808. Of course, he could never have imagined the possibility