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Government size, composition of public spending and economic growth in Brazil

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  • Divino, Jose Angelo
  • Maciel, Daniel T.G.N.
  • Sosa, Wilfredo

Abstract

The performance of the fiscal policy is largely affected by the relationship between government size, composition of public spending and economic growth. We use a theoretical framework to find optimal relations among these variables and confront them with a panel data for the Brazilian states. Private capital and government spending are substitute inputs in production as the Brazilian states require provision of public spending to fill gaps in the underdeveloped private sector. Public investment and current government expenditures are combined in fixed ratios in the overall government spending due to strong rigidity of the public budget. The optimal share of public investment is considerably lower than current expenditures, as occurs in developing countries characterized by low economic dynamism. Finally, the average tax burden from the data is below the estimated optimal level, meaning that there is space for increasing tax rate without harming economic growth for some Brazilian states.

Suggested Citation

  • Divino, Jose Angelo & Maciel, Daniel T.G.N. & Sosa, Wilfredo, 2020. "Government size, composition of public spending and economic growth in Brazil," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 155-166.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:91:y:2020:i:c:p:155-166
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2020.06.001
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public spending; Optimal tax rate; Economic growth; Elasticity of substitution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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