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.