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Good, Bad or Ugly? On the Effects of Fiscal Rules with Creative Accounting

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  • Milesi-Ferretti, Gian Maria

Abstract

Do fiscal rules likely lead to fiscal adjustment, or do they encourage the use of ?creative accounting?? This question is studied with a model in which fiscal rules are imposed on ?measured? fiscal variables, which can differ from ?true? variables because there is a margin for creative accounting. The probability of detecting creative accounting depends on its size and the transparency of the budget. The model studies the effects on fiscal policy of different rules, separating structural from cyclical effects, and examines how these effects depend on the underlying fiscal distortion and on the degree of transparency of the budget.

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  • Milesi-Ferretti, Gian Maria, 2001. "Good, Bad or Ugly? On the Effects of Fiscal Rules with Creative Accounting," CEPR Discussion Papers 2663, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:2663
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal rules; Budget deficits; Creative accounting; Budget transparency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H61 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Budget; Budget Systems
    • H62 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Deficit; Surplus

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