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Exploring Cross-Country Variation In Government Shares: What Can We Learn From Relative Productivities?

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  • Obrizan, Maksym

Abstract

Government shares in total output are characterized by significant variation across countries. I noticed a strong negative correlation between government consumption shares and the price of government services in terms of private consumption. Motivated by this empirical observation, I developed a neoclassical growth model with added government that is capable of matching the variation in government shares very closely using only relative prices. In addition, I provide empirical evidence showing that the relative price of government consumption increases with income, which is consistent with distortions prevailing in poor countries. These two observations combined imply that government shares tend to be higher in poorer countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Obrizan, Maksym, 2013. "Exploring Cross-Country Variation In Government Shares: What Can We Learn From Relative Productivities?," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(2), pages 356-372, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:macdyn:v:17:y:2013:i:02:p:356-372_00
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Restuccia, Diego & Urrutia, Carlos, 2001. "Relative prices and investment rates," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 93-121, February.
    2. Khan,M. Shahbaz, 1990. "Relative price changes and the growth of the public sector," Policy Research Working Paper Series 423, The World Bank.
    3. Chang-Tai Hsieh & Peter J. Klenow, 2007. "Relative Prices and Relative Prosperity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(3), pages 562-585, June.
    4. Easterly, William & Rebelo, Sergio, 1993. "Fiscal policy and economic growth: An empirical investigation," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 417-458, December.
    5. Meltzer, Allan H & Richard, Scott F, 1981. "A Rational Theory of the Size of Government," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(5), pages 914-927, October.
    6. Robert Summers & Alan Heston, 1991. "The Penn World Table (Mark 5): An Expanded Set of International Comparisons, 1950–1988," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 106(2), pages 327-368.
    7. Ram, Rati, 1986. "Government Size and Economic Growth: A New Framework and Some Evidencefrom Cross-Section and Time-Series Data," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(1), pages 191-203, March.
    8. Mueller,Dennis C., 2003. "Public Choice III," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521894753, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wei-Bin Zhang, 2014. "National and International Inequalities in Income and Wealth in a Global Growth with Free Trade and National Inflation Policies," Global Economic Observer, "Nicolae Titulescu" University of Bucharest, Faculty of Economic Sciences;Institute for World Economy of the Romanian Academy, vol. 2(1), pages 22-40, May.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H50 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - General
    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • E13 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Neoclassical

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