In any State, public intervention is not limited to a single intervention plan. In a simpler institutional structure, we have at least one level of central decision and another local level; in a more complex structure, norms may be derived from international agreements for application within a union of States. These norms are transposed into national normative frameworks and subsequently applied at the state, regional, and local levels.
In a discussion between an economist and a jurist collaborating on the organization of this volume, the question at hand revolves around how this succession of legislative levels impacts economic efficiency, as well as the effectiveness and equity (inter- and intra-generational) of decisions. Both authors of this editorial agree that the process and formal quality of norms (their clarity, simplicity, coherence, etc.), as well as the application of legislative evaluation principles supporting an evidence-based intervention, are crucial for outcomes in these three dimensions.
This volume of e-Publica focuses on a set of texts that contribute to this discussion. As we will see, there are reflective texts on national experiences, such as those by Sjarif, Saputro, and Kastanya, Delicado, Bernardo, Ribeiro, Marinho, and Silveira, and Diana Fraga; conceptual reflection texts by Ricardo Cunha and Luís Terrinha, and practical proposals on the role and tools of Legislative Drafting, such as the texts by Martim and Cabugueira, and Delicado, Bernardo, Ribeiro, Marinho, and Silveira.
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