Holcombe takes a "public choice" approach to public finance and looks at public policy as a product of the democratic decision-making process. 

"Do you believe that public policy and government activity should be looked at as a product of the democratic process?"

• This book attempts to integrate the study of the various aspects of public sector economics by viewing all the government's activities as a product of the democratic decision making process.  Holcombe integrated this theme into the text because he believes 1) A student's understanding of the public sector will be incomplete unless they understand the process in which democratic decision making has created the existing public sector institutions. 2) Unlike the invisible hand of the market (that is a result of human action but not of human design)  the public sector of the economy is the result of human design.  Thus, in a democratic government, every voter plays a part in the process.
  • Examples - (p.  219-220, 236-238, 252-256, 292-293, 341-344) The tax system is examined not only in terms of traditional equity and efficiency criteria but also as a product of the democratic decision-making process.
  • Examples - (p.  119, 354-357, 382-383, 413-414, 457, 467) The analysis of public expenditures is also developed within the context of the public sector decision making process that produces expenditure programs.
  • Examples - (p. 112-117, 121-122, 484-486) - Government regulations and intergovernmental relations are viewed as products of collective decision making and are analyzed the same way.
• In addition to this interwoven theme, Holcombe also provides a foundation to this public choice approach by dedicating Part III - An Economic Analysis of Democracy to the subject.  Contained within Part III are the following chapters:
  
  Chapter 7 - A theory of Collective Action (p. 131)
  
  Chapter 8 - Public Sector Demand (p. 154)
  
  Chapter 9 - Supply and Demand in Political Markets (p. 175)

*Professors still wishing to teach a more traditional public finance course can skip these chapters, without disrupting the overall flow of the text.

• Holcombe includes a separate chapter on "Property Rights and Economic Efficiency" lays the foundation for understanding public expenditure theory. 
  • 
    Chapter 3 - Property Rights and Economic Efficiency (p. 47)

 "Would you like to provide a more balanced presentation of market versus government resource allocation?"

• This text emphasizes the efficiencies of market allocation of resources, in addition to market failure. Specifically,
  Chapter 5 gives a traditional treatment of public goods, but then also explains how markets can produce public goods,
  • 
    Chapter 5 - Public Goods - "The Argument for Public Sector Production"  (P. 91) and "The Argument for Private Sector Production" (p.93)

"Would you like to dedicate additional time to the study of expenditure on national defense?"

• This is the only book on the market to devote an entire chapter on national defense, a topic that is of pertinent interest to students and all Americans.
  • 
    Chapter 23 - National Defense (p. 460)