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Alberto Alesina: The Science of Using Political Economy Concepts to Explain the Macroeconomic Landscape

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  • Andrew Hughes Hallett

Abstract

Alberto Alesina is distinguished for having introduced, or more properly re-introduced, political economy considerations into macroeconomic policy analysis. His seminal contributions to the problems of fiscal consolidation and the optimal size and number of nations (or the possibility that nations or economic unions might find it in their interest to break-up) are as relevant today as ever. They are reviewed here, and set in a debt targeting framework that allows them to be deployed to maximum advantage. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2012

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  • Andrew Hughes Hallett, 2012. "Alberto Alesina: The Science of Using Political Economy Concepts to Explain the Macroeconomic Landscape," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 40(4), pages 351-365, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:40:y:2012:i:4:p:351-365
    DOI: 10.1007/s11293-012-9341-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Forte, 2012. "The New Macro Political Economy of Alberto Alesina," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 40(4), pages 417-428, December.
    2. Silvia Fedeli & Francesco Forte, 2014. "Deficits, tax burden and unemployment," Chapters, in: Francesco Forte & Ram Mudambi & Pietro Maria Navarra (ed.), A Handbook of Alternative Theories of Public Economics, chapter 5, pages 116-140, Edward Elgar Publishing.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal consolidations; Decentralization; Separatism; Debt targets; Fiscal rules; H63; H77; E62; B41;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology

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