State Capture from Below? The Contradictory Effects of Decentralisation on Public Spending

This study analyses the contradictory effects of decentralisation on public spending. We distinguish three dimensions of decentralisation and analyse their joint and separate effects on public spending in the Swiss cantons over 20 years. We find that overall decentralisation has a strong, significant and negative effect on the size of the public sector, thus confirming the Leviathan hypothesis. The same holds for fiscal and institutional decentralisation. However, the extent to which political processes and actors are organised locally rather than centrally actually increases central and decreases local spending. This suggests that actors behave strategically when dealing with the centre by offloading the more costly policies. The wider implication of our study is that the balance between self-rule and shared rule has implications also for the size of the overall political system.

Trends and patterns in research and development expenditures in the United States

This paper is a review of recent trends in United States expenditures on research and development (R&D). Real expenditures by both the government and the private sector increased rapidly between the mid-1970s and the mid-1980s, and have since leveled off. This is true of both overall expenditures and expenditures on basic research, as well as funding of academic research. Preliminary estimates indicate that about $170 billion was spent on R&D in the United States in 1995, with ≈60% of that funding coming from the private sector and about 35% from the federal government. In comparison to other countries, we have historically spent more on R&D relative to our economy than other advanced economies, but this advantage appears to be disappearing. If defense-related R&D is excluded, our expenditures relative to the size of the economy are considerably smaller than those of other similar economies.

Meeting the challenge of the later years; guide to community action for Senior Citizens Month, 1967, and year-round activity.

Mode of access: Internet.

Hazardous waste management facilities in the United States : 1977 /

Mode of access: Internet.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary : national safe boating week guide.

Mode of access: Internet.

United States Revenue-Cutter Service.

Mode of access: Internet.

United States government annual report.

Mode of access: Internet.

Gazetteer to maps of Burma.

"Based on maps published by the Survey of India. The 1 : 63.360 scale series ... was employed for most of Burma, and where this series was not available, the 1 : 253,440 scale series was used."

Trade agreement between the United States and Canada ... 2d report.

Processed.

Trade agreement between the United States and Peru.

Processed.

United States naval medical bulletin.

Mode of access: Internet.

Air search and rescue : 63 years of aerial lifesaving : a pictorial history, 1915-1978.

"CG-522."

Prices received by farmers for hogs : United States and by states, monthly and annual average prices, 1909-1958 /

Mode of access: Internet.

Survey of head surgery.

Mode of access: Internet.