Public Finance - Softcover

Shoup, Carl

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0202307859 ISBN 13: 9780202307855

Publisher: Routledge, 2005

Synopsis

Broad in scope and carefully balanced in emphasis, this book is a major treatise on the theory and practice of public finance. It is unique in its presentation of a worldwide perspective and in its treatment of both the instruments of public finance and the goals, effects, and criteria of public finance measures. The book is divided into three parts. Book One defines the field, specifies the possible meaning of the "effects" of a public finance measure, and describes the criteria by which these measures are commonly appraised.

Book Two is concerned with micro public finance and opens with a discussion of the theory of public goods in general. Each of the major free government services and types of transfer payments as well as the taxes that government employs are then examined. This section concludes with a chapter on the relevant aspects of government borrowing and inflationary finance. Book Three considers the major goals of public finance policy and describes how the various instruments described in Book Two can be used in achieving these goals. Among the topics treated are the use of appropriate instruments to resolve conflict in goals, conceptual problems of measuring the public finance sector and its maximum and minimum economic limits, consensus goals of equity full employment and Pareto-optimism use of resources, and goals that evoke conflicts of interest within any community.

About this title

About the Author

Carl S. Shoup was McVikar Professor of Political Economy at Columbia University. At General MacArthur's request he led the team creating modern Japan's tax system. He was described as "the dean of contemporary public finance experts."

Steven G. Medema is professor of economics at the University of Colorado, Denver. He is editor of Transaction’s Classics in Economics series.

Review

"As might have been expected from the author, the treatment throughout is well informed, both in its analysis and its institutional detail. Students and scholars will find it a useful reference work."

--James M. Buchanan, The Journal of Business

"Shoup's book is a noteworthy summary of the state of the art in public finance. That the book is so long and difficult is more a reflection of the intricacy and breadth of the field than any desire on the part of Shoup to write a long and difficult book. Both in its topical coverage and in its substantive analysis, the book is more descriptive and pragmatic than a usual public-finance book--reflecting as it does Shoup's career as a practitioner of public finance. Another plus for the book is that it is a truly general source book in public finance. It does not limit its analysis to the United States, but rather studies instruments used in other countries besides the United States and public-finance problems and effects encountered in other countries. For all of these reasons, Shoup's book is a valuable addition to the public-finance literature."

--Edward M. Gramlich, The Journal of Finance

"Professor Shoup's new book will command attention for a long time... There can be no question that this is an outstanding work of erudition based on a life-time of scholarship and practical experience. Not only does the author range over the whole of the traditional field of public finance theory but he draws upon examples from many different countries to support his arguments."

--A. R. Prest, Journal of Economic Literature

"As might have been expected from the author, the treatment throughout is well informed, both in its analysis and its institutional detail. Students and scholars will find it a useful reference work."

--James M. Buchanan, The Journal of Business

"Shoup's book is a noteworthy summary of the state of the art in public finance. That the book is so long and difficult is more a reflection of the intricacy and breadth of the field than any desire on the part of Shoup to write a long and difficult book. Both in its topical coverage and in its substantive analysis, the book is more descriptive and pragmatic than a usual public-finance book--reflecting as it does Shoup's career as a practitioner of public finance. Another plus for the book is that it is a truly general source book in public finance. It does not limit its analysis to the United States, but rather studies instruments used in other countries besides the United States and public-finance problems and effects encountered in other countries. For all of these reasons, Shoup's book is a valuable addition to the public-finance literature."

--Edward M. Gramlich, The Journal of Finance

"Professor Shoup's new book will command attention for a long time... There can be no question that this is an outstanding work of erudition based on a life-time of scholarship and practical experience. Not only does the author range over the whole of the traditional field of public finance theory but he draws upon examples from many different countries to support his arguments."

--A. R. Prest, Journal of Economic Literature

"A very scholarly book of genuine value to its field by Shoup, one of the outstanding authorities in public finance in the world."

--Choice

"As might have been expected from the author, the treatment throughout is well informed, both in its analysis and its institutional detail. Students and scholars will find it a useful reference work."

--James M. Buchanan, The Journal of Business

"Shoup's book is a noteworthy summary of the state of the art in public finance. That the book is so long and difficult is more a reflection of the intricacy and breadth of the field than any desire on the part of Shoup to write a long and difficult book. Both in its topical coverage and in its substantive analysis, the book is more descriptive and pragmatic than a usual public-finance book--reflecting as it does Shoup's career as a practitioner of public finance. Another plus for the book is that it is a truly general source book in public finance. It does not limit its analysis to the United States, but rather studies instruments used in other countries besides the United States and public-finance problems and effects encountered in other countries. For all of these reasons, Shoup's book is a valuable addition to the public-finance literature."

--Edward M. Gramlich, The Journal of Finance

"Professor Shoup's new book will command attention for a long time... There can be no question that this is an outstanding work of erudition based on a life-time of scholarship and practical experience. Not only does the author range over the whole of the traditional field of public finance theory but he draws upon examples from many different countries to support his arguments."

--A. R. Prest, Journal of Economic Literature

"A very scholarly book of genuine value to its field by Shoup, one of the outstanding authorities in public finance in the world."

--Choice

-As might have been expected from the author, the treatment throughout is well informed, both in its analysis and its institutional detail. Students and scholars will find it a useful reference work.-

--James M. Buchanan, The Journal of Business

-Shoup's book is a noteworthy summary of the state of the art in public finance. That the book is so long and difficult is more a reflection of the intricacy and breadth of the field than any desire on the part of Shoup to write a long and difficult book. Both in its topical coverage and in its substantive analysis, the book is more descriptive and pragmatic than a usual public-finance book--reflecting as it does Shoup's career as a practitioner of public finance. Another plus for the book is that it is a truly general source book in public finance. It does not limit its analysis to the United States, but rather studies instruments used in other countries besides the United States and public-finance problems and effects encountered in other countries. For all of these reasons, Shoup's book is a valuable addition to the public-finance literature.-

--Edward M. Gramlich, The Journal of Finance

-Professor Shoup's new book will command attention for a long time... There can be no question that this is an outstanding work of erudition based on a life-time of scholarship and practical experience. Not only does the author range over the whole of the traditional field of public finance theory but he draws upon examples from many different countries to support his arguments.-

--A. R. Prest, Journal of Economic Literature

-A very scholarly book of genuine value to its field by Shoup, one of the outstanding authorities in public finance in the world.-

--Choice

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0202307859
• ISBN 13: 9780202307855
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 660