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Kenneth Clarke's triumph

Article Abstract:

The UK Conservative party has been extremely successful since 1979 in making significant changes to the politics of public spending. All serious politicians now believe that elections are won through promising fiscal caution. The Conservative government has been able to contain pressures to constantly increase public spending, making changes to the machinery for public expenditure control so that the cabinet makes a firm decision on totals before they are split between departments. Furthermore, government ministers have fostered an intellectual climate within which high levels of government spending are opposed.

Public Finance Activities, National Government Finance, Public finance

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The entitlement cuckoo in the congressional nest

Article Abstract:

The US's $2.7 trillion budget deficit is caused by the phenomenal growth in entitlements. By 1993, Social Security will become the nation's largest budget item. Programs that benefit the aged are not means-tested, with the result that the average elderly person receives 10 times the money accorded the average child.

Causes of, Growth, Budget deficits, Entitlement spending

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The future of liberty: can democracy tame the state?

Article Abstract:

Democracy does not always adequately protect citizen's liberties, but it is the best system of government so far. The US and the UK made moderate progress reducing the size of government, but those reforms are now being challenged. Citizens tend to have more liberty when governments are small.

Economic development, Democracy

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