In this highly readable analysis, the authors use positive-economics principles to show how the supply and demand of monopoly rights from the state (rent seeking) provided first the impetus for European mercantilism and later the reasons for its demise in England and entrenchment in France. The balance-of-trade objective, treated by most historians as a primary motive for mercantilism, is shown instead to be the by-product of self-interested parties' seeking of rents. In addition to questions of the causes and results of economic regulation, this thoughtful book raises issues in the...
In this highly readable analysis, the authors use positive-economics principles to show how the supply and demand of monopoly rights from the state (r...
As state governments grapple with increased revenue needs or demands for state tax reform, they typically must choose between relying on an income tax system or utilizing a sales tax, perhaps in conjunction with a corporate franchise tax. Choosing between these two tax options is often a contentious process, and many arguments can arise in the debates surrounding this issue. In this study of small, open economic systems, George R. Zodrow addresses the relative advantages and disadvantages of state sales and income taxes from an economic perspective. He evaluates the two options in terms...
As state governments grapple with increased revenue needs or demands for state tax reform, they typically must choose between relying on an income tax...