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How does fiscal decentralization affect aggregate, national, and subnational government size?

Author

Listed:
  • Jing Jin

    (Development Research Group, The World Bank)

  • Heng-fu Zou

    (School of Management, Peking University
    Institute for Advanced Study, Wuhan University
    Development Research Group, The World Bank)

Abstract

Beyond conducting the usual regression analysis of the relationship between fiscal decentralization and aggregate government size (national and subnational combined), this paper makes the first attempt to examine how different fiscal decentralization measures affect the sizes of national and subnational (state and local combined) governments. An econometric analysis using panel data from 32 industrial and developing countries, 1980¨C1994, finds that (1) expenditure decentralization leads to smaller national governments, larger subnational governments, and larger aggregate governments; (2) revenue decentralization increases subnational governments by less than it reduces national governments, hence leads to smaller aggregate governments; and (3) vertical imbalance tends to increase the sizes of subnational, national, and aggregate governments.

Suggested Citation

  • Jing Jin & Heng-fu Zou, 2000. "How does fiscal decentralization affect aggregate, national, and subnational government size?," CEMA Working Papers 72, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:cuf:wpaper:72
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal decentralization; Size of government; Vertical imbalance; Borrowing constraints;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H5 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies
    • H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations
    • R5 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis

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