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Why is ArgentinaÂ’s Fiscal Federalism so Inefficient? Entering the Labyrinth

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Abstract
A long-standing concern in political economy is whether outcomes are efficient in political equilibrium. Recent contributions have examined the efficiency/inefficiency of policy choices from a theoretical point of view. The aim of this paper is to examine such issue empirically. Building on existing "economic" diagnoses that highlight the deficient incentives present in ArgentinaÂ’s Federal Tax-Sharing Agreement the paper will attempt to understand the politics behind its adoption and persistence. We suggest an explanation based on the transaction costs of ArgentinaÂ’s political market. Although potentially Pareto-improving policies could have been adopted, they were not introduced because of the uncertainty over the future status of todayÂ’s bargains, and given the lack of institutions to enforce bargains among the political actors. The paper concludes offering some preliminary ideas for institutional engineering: what governance structures could help reduce these transaction costs? The purpose is to create an institutional framework in which political actors could negotiate among themselves, ensuring the enforceability of agreements, in order to achieve more efficient outcomes.

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  • Sebastian M. Saiegh & Mariano Tommasi, 1999. "Why is ArgentinaÂ’s Fiscal Federalism so Inefficient? Entering the Labyrinth," Journal of Applied Economics, Universidad del CEMA, vol. 2, pages 169-209, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:cem:jaecon:v:2:y:1999:n:1:p:169-209
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    Cited by:

    1. María Laura Alzúa & Carolina López, 2014. "The Long and Winding Road Towards Fiscal Decentralization," Económica, Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, vol. 60, pages 3-43, January-D.
    2. Mariano Tommasi & Miguel Braun, 2002. "Fiscal Rules for Subnational Governments. Some Organizing Principles and Latin American Experiences," Working Papers 44, Universidad de San Andres, Departamento de Economia, revised Mar 2002.
    3. Berriel, Rafael & Gonzalez-Aguado, Eugenia & Kehoe, Patrick J. & Pastorino, Elena, 2024. "Is a fiscal union optimal for a monetary union?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 157-177.
    4. Russell Cooper & Hubert Kempf, 2000. "Designing Stabilization Policy in a Monetary Union," Econometric Society World Congress 2000 Contributed Papers 0529, Econometric Society.
    5. Enrico Spolaore, 2010. "Federalism, Regional Redistribution and Country Stability," Chapters, in: Núria Bosch & Marta Espasa & Albert Solé Ollé (ed.), The Political Economy of Inter-Regional Fiscal Flows, chapter 13, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. repec:gig:joupla:v:6:y:2014:i:1:p:3-44 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Jason P. Sorens, 2016. "Secession Risk and Fiscal Federalism," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 46(1), pages 25-50.
    8. Russell Cooper & Hubert Kempf & Dan Peled, 2008. "Is It Is Or Is It Ain'T My Obligation? Regional Debt In A Fiscal Federation," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1469-1504, November.
    9. Santiago Urbiztondo & Marcela Cristini & Cynthia Moskovitz & Sebastian Saiegh, 2009. "The Political Economy of Productivity in Argentina: Interpretation and Illustration," Research Department Publications 4641, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    10. Smith, Heidi Jane M. & Revell, Keith D., 2016. "Micro-Incentives and Municipal Behavior: Political Decentralization and Fiscal Federalism in Argentina and Mexico," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 231-248.
    11. Daniel Artana & Sebastian Auguste & Marcela Cristini & Cynthia Moskovitz & Ivana Templado, 2012. "Sub-National Revenue Mobilization in Latin American and Caribbean Countries: The Case of Argentina," Research Department Publications 4765, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    12. Stéphane Colliac, 2005. "Monnaies parallèles provinciales et fédéralisme budgétaire en Argentine," Revue d'Économie Financière, Programme National Persée, vol. 81(4), pages 251-269.
    13. Lavrov, Aleksei & Litwack, John & Sutherland, Douglas, 2001. "Fiscal federalist relations in Russia: a case for subnational autonomy," MPRA Paper 26537, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Anwar Shah, 2006. "Fiscal decentralization and macroeconomic management," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 13(4), pages 437-462, August.
    15. Sonin, Konstantin, 2010. "Provincial protectionism," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 111-122, June.
    16. Sorens, Jason, 2016. "Vertical Fiscal Gaps and Economic Performance: A Theoretical Review and an Empirical Meta-analysis," Working Papers 06856, George Mason University, Mercatus Center.
    17. Russell W. Cooper & Hubert Kempf, 2001. "Dollarization and the conquest of hyperinflation in divided societies," Quarterly Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, vol. 25(Sum), pages 3-12.
    18. Meloni, Osvaldo, 2011. "Budget Manipulation and Vertical Fiscal Imbalance," MPRA Paper 50694, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Emmanuel Abuelafia & Sergio Berensztein & Miguel Braun & Luciano di Gresia, 2005. "Who Decides on Public Expenditures? A Political Economy Analysis of the Budget Process: The Case of Argentina," Public Economics 0511004, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. José Bercoff & Osvaldo Meloni, 2009. "Federal budget allocation in an emergent democracy: evidence from Argentina," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 65-83, January.
    21. Qian, Rong, 2012. "Why do some countries default more often than others ? the role of institutions," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5993, The World Bank.
    22. Malesky, Edmund & Nguyen, Cuong & Tran, Anh, 2013. "The Impact of Recentralization on Public Services: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis of the Abolition of Elected Councils in Vietnam," MPRA Paper 54187, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Shah, Anwar, 2005. "Fiscal decentralization and fiscal performance," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3786, The World Bank.
    24. Cardoza, Guillermo & Díaz Saavedra, Julián & Ángel, Adriana, 2006. "Institutional Determinants of the Argentinean Crisis: A Systemic Approach," MPRA Paper 88994, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 02 Jan 2006.

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