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Automatic stabilization and discretionary fiscal policy in the financial crisis

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  • Mathias Dolls
  • Clemens Fuest
  • Andreas Peichl

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between the magnitude of automatic stabilizers in the tax and transfer systems of 19 EU countries and the US, and discretionary fiscal stimulus packages passed by these countries during the recent economic crisis. In particular, we ask whether countries with larger automatic stabilizers have enacted smaller discretionary fiscal stimulus programs. Our results support this hypothesis. Our findings also suggest that social transfers, in particular the rather generous systems of unemployment insurance in Europe, play a key role for the stabilization of disposable incomes and explain a large part of the difference in automatic stabilizers between Europe and the US. Copyright Dolls et al.; licensee Springer. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Mathias Dolls & Clemens Fuest & Andreas Peichl, 2012. "Automatic stabilization and discretionary fiscal policy in the financial crisis," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:izalpo:v:1:y:2012:i:1:p:1-19:10.1186/2193-9004-1-4
    DOI: 10.1186/2193-9004-1-4
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bruno Martorano, 2015. "Lessons from the recent economic crisis: the Australian household stimulus package," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(3), pages 309-327, May.
    3. Carmen M. Reinhart & Kenneth S. Rogoff, 2009. "The Aftermath of Financial Crises," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 466-472, May.
    4. Bruno Martorano, 2013. "The Australian Household Stimulus Package: Lessons from the recent economic crisis," Papers inwopa697, Innocenti Working Papers.
    5. Varun Chotia, 2019. "The Impact Of Fiscal Consolidation And Economic Growth On Debt: Evidence From India," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 64(222), pages 63-80, July – Se.
    6. Holly Sutherland & Francesco Figari, 2013. "EUROMOD: the European Union tax-benefit microsimulation model," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 1(6), pages 4-26.
    7. Heikki Oksanen, 2016. "Smoothing Asymmetric Shocks vs. Redistribution in the Euro Area: a Simple Proposal for Dealing with Mistrust," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 62(2), pages 332-375.
    8. Alina Cristina NUTA & Rodica PRIPOAIE & Florian Marcel NUTA, 2014. "Fiscal Policy In And After Crises," Journal of Public Administration, Finance and Law, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 0(Special i), pages 92-95, September.
    9. Nicola Acocella, "undated". "A tale of two cities: exit policies in Washington and Frankfurt," Working Papers 117/13, Sapienza University of Rome, Metodi e Modelli per l'Economia, il Territorio e la Finanza MEMOTEF.
    10. Heikki Oksanen, 2016. "Smoothing Asymmetric Shocks vs. Redistribution in the Euro Area: A Simple Proposal for Dealing with Mistrust in the Euro Area," CESifo Working Paper Series 5817, CESifo.
    11. David Kucera & Xiao Jiang, 2018. "China and the great trade collapse: employment effects of falling exports to the EU and US," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 629-659, July.
    12. David Amaglobeli & Laura Jaramillo & Pooja Karnane & Ms. Aleksandra Zdzienicka, 2019. "Tax Reforms and Fiscal Shock Smoothing," IMF Working Papers 2019/113, International Monetary Fund.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Automatic stabilizer; Economic crisis; Taxes and benefits; Fiscal policy; E32; E63; H2; H31;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E63 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Comparative or Joint Analysis of Fiscal and Monetary Policy; Stabilization; Treasury Policy
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household

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