This volume investigates the evolving relationship between central and local governments in the context of fiscal decentralization and the privatization of public services. Robert J. Bennett compiles research from an international group of experts to analyze the theoretical and practical shifts occurring in intergovernmental fiscal relations. The text argues for a re-evaluation of traditional welfare-state models in favor of a decentralized, market-oriented approach to public administration.

Experts recognize this collection as a significant contribution to the study of intergovernmental fiscal relations during the late twentieth century. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational text for students and practitioners of public policy and political economy.