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The public debt and the Ricardian equivalence: Some critical remarks

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  • Sardoni, Claudio

Abstract

The paper criticizes the so-called Ricardian Equivalence (RE) and its implications for the analysis of the problem of the public debt. The RE hinges on a view of the economic role of the state as merely parasitic and on an unwarranted extension of the micro-economic analysis of debts to the macro-economic level. The RE is at the heart of the mainstream approach to the public debt and the policies that indicate the running of primary surpluses as the only way to stabilize its ratio to GDP.

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  • Sardoni, Claudio, 2021. "The public debt and the Ricardian equivalence: Some critical remarks," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 153-160.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:streco:v:58:y:2021:i:c:p:153-160
    DOI: 10.1016/j.strueco.2021.05.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Claudio Sardoni, 2022. "Public spending and growth: a model," Working Papers 8/22, Sapienza University of Rome, DISS.
    2. Massimo Amato & Francesco Saraceno, 2022. "Squaring the circle: How to guarantee fiscal space and debt sustainability with a European Debt Agency," Working Papers hal-03554212, HAL.
    3. Massimo Amato & Francesco Saraceno, 2022. "Squaring the circle: How to guarantee fiscal space and debt sustainability with a European Debt Agency," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 22172, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    4. Massimo Amato & Francesco Saraceno, 2022. "Squaring the circle: How to guarantee fiscal space and debt sustainability with a European Debt Agency," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-03554212, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ricardian Equivalence; Public debt; Economic growth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General
    • H30 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - General
    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General

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