Inter-Regional Redistribution in Sweden: A Survey of the Literature and a Call for Further Enquiry

The Swedish system for inter-regional redistribution is examined from a political economy perspective and a growth perspective. A number of recent Swedish studies of this system are examined. Political economy concerns are found to be adequately represented in academic studies of this system, while lacking, at least explicitly, in all the major relevant government reports. Growth implications of extensive inter-regional redistribution are found to be relatively neglected in both academic studies and government reports. In particular, the short-circuiting of labour mobility (and hence the impairment of long-term structural adjustment) is examined at both micro- and macroeconomic levels. It is concluded that extensive inter-regional redistribution is likely to have considerable effects on labour mobility. The author argues that this almost entirely overlooked effect is an important consideration in evaluating the costs and benefits of inter-regional redistribution, and calls for further enquiry into the matter.Inter-regional redistribution; fiscal federalism; political economy; growth; labour force mobility

New Instruments in Spatial Planning: An International Perspective on Non-Financial Compensation

'New Instruments in Spatial Planning' addresses the topic of transferring development opportunities between areas in planning practice by a debate between academics, lawyers and planning practitioners at an international planning symposium in Annapolis, MD, USA and the Van Doorne-Habiforum conference on Transferable Development Rights a year later. The idea of transferring development opportunities between areas is more than only the transfer of development rights. It relates more to compensation: not in money, but in a non-financial perspective. A comparative study on non-financial compensation was started, funded by Habiforum and linked to a number of research projects, such as Van Der Veen’s and Spaans’ research funded by the Delft Centre for Sustainable Urban Areas and Janssen-Jansen’s research funded by the Dutch Scientific Organization NWO-STIP. The chapters in this publication are representative of a close cooperation between planners, economists and lawyers from both science and planning practice. The exchange of knowledge within the framework of this book has arisen from divergent paths

China's reform of intergovernmental fiscal relations in the light of European experiences

The paper looks a China's institutional reforms in public finances against the background of European experiences. Particular attention is given to Switzerland and Germany where there is a high degree of consensus forming mechanisms. These federations are also characterized by concepts of regional fairness and are hence more appropriate as potential models than competitive federalism models such as that of the United States. The basic characteristics of the two European federations are described and analyzed.Federalism; German federation; Swiss federation; Germany; Switzerland; fiscal capacity; equalization; public borrowing; public administration; intergovernmental grants; German unification; tax assignment; shared taxes

Should China revisit the 1994 fiscal reforms?

The 1994 reforms in China were remarkably successful in stabilizing the economy and raising revenues for the benefit of sustainable growth and permitting the central government to redistribute resources to poorer regions through an equalization framework. However, the rise of informal local borrowing in the absence of effective own-source revenues raises possible risks and imbalances in the future. There is thus a need to reconsider the fundamentals of intergovernmental fiscal relations, building on the basis laid in the 1994 reforms.Financial Economics, H2, H5, H6, H7,

Fiscal Policy in China: Taxation and Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations

In this book, Professor Bahl examines and analyzes China\u27s 1994 taxation reform as a case study of an attempt by a major developing country to modernize its fiscal system. The 1994 reform is noteworthy because it was the most systematic and comprehensive restructuring of China\u27s revenue system since the beginning of its economic reform in 1979. This far-reaching reform extended to the country\u27s tax structure, tax administration, central provincial fiscal relations, and provincial-local fiscal relations. The author traces the history of this reform over the past two decades and evaluates its impact, including an extensive review of the analytical work of other scholars. Through detailed quantitative analysis, he draws parallels with the fiscal reform options followed in other economies. The concluding chapter examines the possibilities for continuing taxation reform in China

Economic Reforms and Constitutional Transition

This paper investigates the relationship between economic reforms and constitutional transition, which has been neglected by many transition economists. It is argued that assessment of reform performance might be very misleading if it is not recognized that economic reforms are just a small part of large scale of constitutional transition. Rivalry and competition between states and between political forces within each country are the driving forces for constitutional transition. We use Russia as an example of economic reforms associated with constitutional transition and China as an example of economic reforms in the absence of constitutional transition to examine features and problems in the two patterns of transition. It is concluded that under political monopoly of the ruling party, economic transition will be hijacked by state opportunism. Dual track approach to economic transition may generate very high long-term cost of constitutional transition that might well outweigh its short-term benefit of buying out the vested interests.constitutional transition, economic reform, division of labor, debate of shock therapy vs gradualism, debate of convergence vs institutional innovation

Economic growth pattern in restricted areas: the case study of Kangding City in Sichuan Province

The construction of regional development patterns based on the main functional areas is a major strategic innovation which not only conforms to the national regional policy but also incorporates regional features. On June 8, 2011, the state council issued the National Main Function Area Planning to readjust guiding thoughts of regional development of our country. In 2013, Sichuan province formulated and published the Main Function Area Planning which divided the restricted areas into main producing areas of agricultural products and key ecological functional areas. And among them, the key ecological functional areas are the important research subject of this thesis. In light of the strategic pattern of main functional areas, the structure of regional interests has undergone a major adjustment, which means that economic devolopment pattern in restricted areas need a foundamental transformation. Such areas need to build up economic system rooted in main functions and enhance their self-sustainability. It also poses a new challenge for policymakers in these areas. Research on economic growth pattern of restricted areas has become an important topic in the study of China’s regional economic theory.A definição de padrões de desenvolvimento regionais baseados em áreas funcionais principais constitui uma inovação estratégica, que não só está de acordo com as políticas regionais, mas também permite a inclusão das características específicas de cada região. A 8 de junho de 2011as autoridades nacionais Chinesas publicaram o documento intitulado National Main Function Area Planning para reajustar, a nível nacional, as linhas estratégicas de desenvolvimento regional. Em 2013 a província de Sichuan editou e publicou o Main Function Area Planning que dividia as áreas de desenvolvimento restrito em dois tipos: áreas de produção maioritariamente agrícola e áreas funcionais ecológicas chave. O principal objeto de investigação desta tese é a segunda destas áreas. Tendo em consideração os padrões estratégicos das áreas funcionais principais, a estrutura dos interesses regionais tem sido sujeita a ajustamentos importantes, o que significa a necessidade de transformações fundamentais nos padrões de desenvolvimento económico das áreas de desenvolvimento restrito. Estas áreas necessitam de construir um sistema económico baseado nas funções principais e que seja autossustentado, o que constitui um novo desafio para as políticas públicas. Os padrões de crescimento económico em áreas de desenvolvimento restrito tornou-se um importante tópico de investigação na teoria económica regional da China