The relationship of economic growth with financial development and trade openness is analyzed with annual time-series data for Bolivia during the 1940-2010 period. The analysis is an advance over previous work in several ways. First, the hypothesis of a long-run relationship between these variables is tested using bivariate cointegrated systems and employing the methodology of cointegration analysis. Second, causality tests utilizing standard Granger regressions and ECM models are carried out to determine the direction of causality between indicators of economic growth and financial development, and economic growth and trade openness. Lastly, the study comprises a period of seventy years, a first for a study of this kind on Bolivia. The empirical results demonstrate that there is indeed a long-run equilibrium relationship, and that unidirectional Granger causality runs from the indicators of financial development and trade openness to economic growth.

Nine versions of Wagner's law are examined employing annual time-series data on Bolivia for the period

This paper analyses the impact of fiscal decentralization on economic growth, inflation and Gini coefficients in 12 countries of the Americas. The findings suggest that the positive impact of this process has been more modest than anticipated, with revenue decentralization having a detrimental effect on economic growth and expenditure decentralization a positive one in developing nations of the Americas. Regarding the impact on income inequality, the results indicate that fiscal decentralization can play an important role in reducing this, particularly on the revenue side, but when decentralization is analysed in developing nations of the Americas only, fiscal decentralization is shown to accentuate rather than mitigate income inequality, which highlights the significant amount of work that is yet to be done before this process delivers on expectations. The findings for the impact of fiscal decentralization on price stability are inconclusive.

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This paper analyzes the impact of fiscal decentralization on accountability, economic freedom, and political and civil liberties in the Americas. The findings indicate that decentralization initially hampers but eventually enhances accountability and political and civil liberties, in line with the hypothesized positive correlation between greater fiscal autonomy and a more inclusive, participatory government. The impact of fiscal decentralization on economic freedom, however, runs counter to expectations. Decentralization seems to initially bolster freedom, but it eventually constrains it, proving that greater accountability and political and civil liberties do not necessarily lead to greater economic freedom. When Canada and the US are excluded and the analysis is done with developing American nations only, the behavioral pattern regarding how fiscal decentralization affects the principal variables intensifies, noting that in developing countries the impact of fiscal decentralization is likely to be more consequential.