Includes index

Contents: Getting started: Introduction -- Tools of positive analysis -- Tools of normative analysis -- Public expenditure: public goods and externalities: Public goods -- Externalities -- Political economy -- Education -- Cost-benefit analysis -- Public expenditure: social insurance and income maintenance: The Health care market -- Government and the market for health care -- Social security -- Income redistribution: conceptual issues -- Expenditure programs for the poor -- Framework for tax analysis: Taxation and income distribution -- Taxation and efficiency -- Efficient and equitable taxation -- The United states revenue system: The Personal income tax -- Personal taxation and behavior -- The Corporation tax -- Deficit finance -- Fundamental tax reform: taxes on consumption and wealth -- Multigovernment public finance: Public finance in a federal system -- Appendix.