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New Keynesian versus old Keynesian government spending multipliers

Author

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  • Taylor, John
  • Wieland, Volker
  • Cwik, Tobias
  • Cogan, John F.

Abstract

Renewed interest in fiscal policy has increased the use of quantitative models to evaluate policy. Because of modeling uncertainty, it is essential that policy evaluations be robust to alternative assumptions. We find that models currently being used in practice to evaluate fiscal policy stimulus proposals are not robust. Government spending multipliers in an alternative empirically-estimated and widely-cited new Keynesian model are much smaller than in these old Keynesian models; the estimated stimulus is extremely small just when needed most, and GDP and employment effects are only one-sixth as large, with private sector employment impacts likely to be even smaller.

Suggested Citation

  • Taylor, John & Wieland, Volker & Cwik, Tobias & Cogan, John F., 2009. "New Keynesian versus old Keynesian government spending multipliers," CEPR Discussion Papers 7236, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:7236
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal policy; Government spending; Keynesian models; Model uncertainty; Multiplier;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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