Public Economics [Paperback]

Gareth D. Myles (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 24, 1995 | ISBN-10: 0521497698 | ISBN-13: 978-0521497695

This up-to-date new textbook provides a thorough treatment of all the central topics in public economics. Aimed at senior undergraduate and graduate students, it will also be invaluable to professional economists and to those teaching in the field. The book is entirely self-contained, giving all the equilibrium theory and welfare economics needed to understand the analyses. The author covers the Arrow-Debreu economy, welfare economics and the measurement of inequality and povery which lay the foundations and emphasize the important role played by information. Within the competitive economy, he examines commodity taxation, income taxation and tax reform in a certain environment. He goes on to study the public economics of uncertainty, and then treats public goods, externalities, imperfect competition and tax evasion as departures from the standard competitive assumptions and looks at their implication for public economics derived. Finally, after treatment of the overlapping generations economy, he addresses intertemporal issues concerning social security and debts.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This is the most comprehensive up-to-date exposition of the modern theory of public economics ... A natural reference for any student or scholar in the field.' Eytan Sheshinski, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

'As an introduction to the methods and content of standard public economics the book is excellent. Its comprehensive coverage will be particularly appreciated by post-graduate students, but practising economists in all areas will value it as a reference. Highly recommended.' Simon Vicary, The Economic Journal

Book Description

This textbook provides a thorough treatment of all the central topics in public economics. Aimed at senior undergraduate and graduate students, it will also be invaluable to professional economists and to those teaching in the field. The book is entirely self-contained, giving all the equilibrium theory and welfare economics needed to understand the analyses.

Product Details

• Paperback: 564 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (November 24, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521497698
• ISBN-13: 978-0521497695
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #967,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gareth Myles is Professor of Economics at the University of Exeter and a Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. He is Managing Editor of Fiscal Studies and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Public Economic Theory. He obtained his BA from Warwick (1983), his MSc from the London School of Economics (1984) and his D.Phil (1987) from Oxford under the supervision of Professor Sir James Mirrlees. His first academic position was at the University of Warwick. He moved to the University of Exeter in 1992. His major research interest is in public economics and his publications include "Public Economics" (1995), "Intermediate Public Economics" (2006) and numerous papers in International Tax and Public Finance, the Journal of Public Economic Theory, and the Journal of Public Economics. He is an Academic Adviser to HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs. He has also provided economic advice to international bodies including the European Commission and the OECD. His leisure activities include sailing, skiing, and motorcycling.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid book, May 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Public Economics (Paperback)

This is a solid treatment of public economic theory as it has developed since the work of Samuelson. The book starts by developing the general equilibrium approach to studying public economics and proceeds to relax assumptions and introduce new ideas. Most big topics in public econ are treated to some extent.

The book is aimed at graduate students or advanced undergrads. For the latter use one would really require supplementary material introducing some major empirical trends in public finance, unless the students have had it already.

The flipside of the breadth of the book is that its depth is limited on some important topics. Naturally different people have different beliefs about the appropriate stress, but incomplete information in particular received nowhere near the treatment it should have. There's some mention, and naturally some comes through in the treatment of optimal taxation, but it's not enough to enable someone to make any sense of the many and important results treating public econ from a mechanism design standpoint, which is a reasonable goal for a book like this. Bayesian equilibrium is not even formally defined. Laffont's text _Fundamentals of Public Economics_ has some more emphasis on this (his _Economics of Information and Uncertainty_ has even more, though not specifically from a public econ perspective). Chapter 6 of Myerson's _Game Theory_ and chapter 7 of Fudenberg & Tirole's _Game Theory_ may be useful supplements also.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, November 30, 2009

By 

Seyed M. Karimi "ECONbook" (Urbana, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Public Economics (Paperback)

It was at the best shape as expected and the arrival time was sooner than as I expected.