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Centralization, Decentralization And Conflict In The Middle East And North Africa

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  • MEHMET SERKAN TOSUN

    () (Department of Economics, College of Business, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, Mail Stop 0030, Nevada 89557, USA;
    Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn, Germany)

  • SERDAR YILMAZ

    () (Social Development Department, World Bank, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington D.C. 20433, USA)

Abstract

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has one of the most centralized government structures in the world. In this paper, we examine the causes of decentralization in the region by conducting a cross-country regression analysis. We use panel data for a set of MENA countries to understand the factors behind heavy centralization. Our findings show that external conflicts constitute a major roadblock to decentralization in the region.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehmet Serkan Tosun & Serdar Yilmaz, 2010. "Centralization, Decentralization And Conflict In The Middle East And North Africa," Middle East Development Journal (MEDJ), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 2(01), pages 1-14.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:medjxx:v:02:y:2010:i:01:n:s1793812010000150
    DOI: 10.1142/S1793812010000150
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cosgel, Metin M. & Miceli, Thomas J., 2005. "Risk, Transaction Costs, and Tax Assignment: Government Finance in the Ottoman Empire," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 65(03), pages 806-821, September.
    2. Panizza, Ugo, 1999. "On the determinants of fiscal centralization: Theory and evidence," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1), pages 97-139, October.
    3. Arzaghi, Mohammad & Henderson, J. Vernon, 2005. "Why countries are fiscally decentralizing," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(7), pages 1157-1189, July.
    4. Metin M. Cosgel, 2004. "Efficiency and Continuity in Public Finance: The Ottoman System of Taxation," Working papers 2004-02, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics, revised Oct 2004.
    5. Pranab Bardhan & Dilip Mookherjee (ed.), 2006. "Decentralization and Local Governance in Developing Countries: A Comparative Perspective," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262524546, January.
    6. Ebel, Robert D. & Yilmaz, Serdar, 2002. "On the measurement and impact of fiscal decentralization," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2809, The World Bank.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal decentralization; centralization; external conflict; Middle East and North Africa;

    JEL classification:

    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • H87 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - International Fiscal Issues; International Public Goods
    • N45 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Asia including Middle East
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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