This chapter reviews a recent body of theoretical and empirical work that studies the
normative and positive aspects of trade policy. We start by presenting reduced-form …

Substantial research in development economics has highlighted the presence of weak
institutions, market failures, and distortions in developing countries. Yet much of the …

We examine the relationship between entry regulation and the business interests of former
President Ben Ali's family using firm-level data from Tunisia. Connected firms account for a …

The social contract is the deal between the state and its citizens by which the latter agree the
rule of the former in return for deliverables Over time, the state's deliverables have evolved …

Since the first wave of uprisings in 2011, the euphoria of the" Arab Spring" has given way to
the gloom of backlash and a descent into mayhem and war. The revolution has been …

A key foundation of Chinese-style institutions is that governments at different levels control
resources and utilize their power to support businesses connected to them. We examine …

There is a growing consensus that the presence of illegal and harmful cross-border financial
flows is one of the factors impeding economic and human development. In recent years, a …

This paper studies tax withholding on business sales, a widely used compliance mechanism
which is ignored by public finance theory. A withholding scheme, whereby the payer in a …

How can governments reduce the prevalence of cross-border tax fraud? This paper argues
that the use of digital technologies offers an opportunity to reduce fraud and increase …

Is Tax Avoidance Caused by Political Connections and Executive Characteristics? Main
Purpose–This study examines the role of political connections and executive characteristics …