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The Output And Welfare Effects Of Government Spending Shocks Over The Business Cycle

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  • Eric Sims
  • Jonathan Wolff

Abstract

This article studies the output and welfare effects of shocks to government spending in a medium‐scale DSGE model. Our model considers both government consumption and investment and allows for a variety of fiscal financing mechanisms. We use the model to address several questions pertaining to the magnitude and state dependence of both the output and welfare effects of changes in government spending. Countercyclical government spending is undesirable as a general policy prescription, but we highlight situations (such as when monetary policy is passive or when government investment is particularly productive) in which it might be beneficial.

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  • Eric Sims & Jonathan Wolff, 2018. "The Output And Welfare Effects Of Government Spending Shocks Over The Business Cycle," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 59(3), pages 1403-1435, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:iecrev:v:59:y:2018:i:3:p:1403-1435
    DOI: 10.1111/iere.12308
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E0 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General
    • E1 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models
    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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