Download or read book The Economic Foundations of Government written by Randall G. Holcombe and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-07-27 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Government is analysed as the product of exchange among individuals who differ in their bargaining power. This approach shows why individuals agree to political institutions that give their governments extensive power, and why even the most powerful government benefits from constitutional rules constraining the government's power. This foundation is used to examine a wide range of government activities, including its protection of rights, its military activities, and democratic political institutions.