Vaclav Rybacek argues that many studies have underestimated the size of government, leading to erroneous policy recommendations and an unrealistic assessment of a government's ability to meet its debts. Drawing on Austrian economic theory, the book offers a more robust methodology for the measurement of government.

This book addresses a seemingly simple question: Just how many people really work for the federal government? Official counts show a relatively small total of 1.9 million full-time civil servants, as of 1996. But, according to Paul Light, the true head count is nearly nine times higher than the official numbers, with about 17 million people actually providing the government with goods and services. Most are part of what Light calls the "shadow of government"—nonfederal employees working under federal contracts, grants, and mandates to state and local governments. In this book--the first that attempts to establish firm estimates of the shadow work force-- he explores the reasons why the official size of the federal government has remained so small while the shadow of government has grown so large. Light examines the political incentives that make the illusion of a small government so attractive, analyzes the tools used by officials to keep the official headcount small, and reveals how the appearance of smallness affects the management of government and the future of the public service. Finally, he points out ways the federal government can better manage the shadow work force it has built over the past half-century.

This book critically examines the optimum range and duration of government interventions in the economic activities of a modern state based on theoretical and empirical frameworks, and assesses their role and extent in various economies. With a special focus on emerging economies across the globe, it discusses themes such as income growth; social sector development; good governance and economic progress; threshold limits; optimum budget policy and economic growth; sustainable distributional managements in public projects; food for work programs; agricultural infrastructure development; technological progress and economic growth; and distributional equities. The policy suggestions provided here offer helpful blueprints for developmental projects. Rich in data and figures, the book addresses sector-specific case studies like healthcare; irrigation and agriculture; infrastructure; taxation and economic growth; and public sector enterprises. It will be an excellent read for scholars and researchers of economics, Indian economics, macroeconomics, political economy, public policy, political science and management, development studies, development economy and governance. It will also be useful to policymakers, administrative officials, and government and corporate bodies.

Up-to-date, holistic and comprehensive discussion of public expenditure, its history, value for money, risks and remedies.

Expert contributors in economics and political science offer a comprehensive breakdown of the issue of local jurisdiction fragmentation and provide recommendations for successful policy reform. Topics discussed include economies of scale, the costs and benefits of voluntary and forced amalgamation programs, the correlation between government size and corruption, privatization, and inter-municipal cooperation. A combination of theory and empirical evidence provides depth and makes this book an invaluable addition to the literature.