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The effects of fiscal rules on public finances and their identification

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  • Yeter, Mustafa
  • Heinemann, Friedrich

Abstract

Many economic studies analyse the impact of fiscal rules and discuss their effectiveness in limiting excessive debt. A majority of these studies, however, neglects or only deals insufficiently with the potential issue of endogeneity. In this paper, we propose a novel identification approach which identifies the impact of fiscal rules free from effects driving simultaneously the fiscal performance and the existence or strength of rules at the country level. In its core, the approach relies on unexpected shocks in long-run growth in order to derive a setting free from unobserved fiscal preferences and to allow for causal interpretation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yeter, Mustafa & Heinemann, Friedrich, 2014. "The effects of fiscal rules on public finances and their identification," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100425, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc14:100425
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Abubakar, Attahir Babaji & Muhammad, Mansur & Mensah, Samuel, 2023. "Response of fiscal efforts to oil price dynamics," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    2. Csaba G. Tóth, 2019. "Valuable legacy? The effect of inherited fiscal rules," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 3-30, January.
    3. Reuter, Wolf Heinrich, 2015. "National numerical fiscal rules: Not complied with, but still effective?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 67-81.
    4. Tóth, Csaba G., 2017. "Own or inherited? The effect of national fiscal rules after changes of government," MPRA Paper 81178, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Nerlich, Carolin & Reuter, Wolf Heinrich, 2015. "Fiscal rules, fiscal space and procyclical fiscal policy," Working Paper Series 1872, European Central Bank.
    6. Carolin Nerlich & Wolf Heinrich Reuter, 2016. "Fiscal Rules, Fiscal Space, and the Procyclicality of Fiscal Policy," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 72(4), pages 421-452, December.
    7. Tóth G., Csaba, 2017. "A nemzeti költségvetési szabályok elterjedése és hatása Európában [The spread of national fiscal rules and their effect in Europe]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(11), pages 1119-1147.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H50 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - General
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt

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