Overview

The Power of the Purse (1976) puts the alleged decline of parliaments’ ‘power of the purse’ to the test. Fourteen experts – political scientists, economists, public lawyers – examined different aspects of parliamentary control of the budget in six European states: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherland and Switzerland. They show a great deal of variation from one country to another, but all agree in finding this aspect of parliament’s role a problematic one with important practical implications for the effectiveness of government.

Full Product Details

Author:   David Coombes
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Weight:   0.890kg
ISBN:  

9781041244646

ISBN 10:   1041244649
Pages:   394
Publication Date:   01 April 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available  
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Table of Contents

1. Introduction David Coombes 2. The Scope and Content of Government Expenditure Peter Else 3. Consequences of the Federal System for Parliamentary Control of the Budget of the Federal Republic of Germany Albrecht Zunker 4. Parliamentary Control of the Budget of the Federal Republic of Germany Karl Heinrich Friauf 5. Financial Legislation in the Bundestag: the Case of Compulsory Pensions Insurance Alfred Schmidt 6. Parliamentary Control of the Budget in France: a View from Inside the National Assembly Alain Dupas 7. Parliamentary Control of the Budget in France Pierre Lalumière 8. The Influence of RCB on Parliament’s Role in Budgetary Affairs Jean-Claude Ducros 9. Parliament’s Financial Powers: A Comparison Between France and Britain Joel Molinier 10. Parliamentary Control of Public Expenditure in Britain Stuart Walkland 11. Parliamentary Control of Taxation in Britain David Millar 12. The Historical and Constitutional Foundations of the Budgetary System in Italy Valerio Onida 13. The Italian Parliament’s Role in Expenditure Decisions Vittorio Mortara 14. Special Problems of Budgetary Decision-Making in Italy Sabino Cassese 15. Parliament and the Budget: Procedures and Politics in the Netherlands Hans Daalder and Sonja Hubée-Boonzaaijer 16. Parliamentary Control over Public Expenditure in Switzerland Paolo Urio 17. New Developments in Budgetary Decision-Making: A Review Peter Else 18. The Role of Parliament in Budgetary Decisions: Some General Conclusions David Coombes

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