Another forthcoming book worthy of attention, this time by Tim Besley, Director of STICERD and LSE Professor of Economics and Political Science: Principled Agents? The Political Economy of Good Government. Tim writes:
The main aim of this book has been to look at the problem of good government through the lens of modern political economy. This is an evolving field and much has still to be learned.
The material in this book shapes broad thinking on the competence of government. We have begun from a position that while markets have their limits in allocating resources, so do governments. It is evident that the economics profession is now providing tools to meet the challenge of deciding where the boundaries lie between public and private responsibility. There is a section of opinion that equates good government to small government.
Moreover, this has been a dominant tradition in political economy in the past. However, there is nothing in modern political economics to support this claim even if attitudes towards government intervention are more cautious than in the past. A political economy approach can also fuel optimism. If we can understand the logic of good government, then perhaps this is the first step towards creating it.
Chapter 1: Alternative views of Government Charts only (PDF)
Chapter 2: The Anatomy of Government Failure (PDF)
Chapter 3: Political Agency and Accountability (PDF)
Chapter 4: Political Agency and Public Finance (PDF)
Chapter 5: Final Thoughts (PDF)
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