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Non-Linear Budgetary Policies: Evidence from 150 Years of Italian Public Finance

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  • Piergallini, Alessandro
  • Postigliola, Michele

Abstract

We investigate the sustainability of Italy's public finances from 1862 to 2012 adopting a non-linear perspective. Specifically, we employ the smooth transition regression approach to explore the scope for non-linear fiscal adjustments of primary surpluses in response to the accumulation of debt. The empirical results show the occurrence of a significantly positive reaction of primary surpluses to debt when the debt-GDP ratio exceeded the trigger value of 110 percent. The after-threshold positive response implies that the path of Italy's fiscal policy is sufficiently consistent with the intertemporal budget constraint.

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  • Piergallini, Alessandro & Postigliola, Michele, 2013. "Non-Linear Budgetary Policies: Evidence from 150 Years of Italian Public Finance," MPRA Paper 48922, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:48922
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    Cited by:

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    2. Magazzino, Cosimo & Brady, Gordon L. & Forte, Francesco, 2019. "A panel data analysis of the fiscal sustainability of G-7 countries," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    3. Abderrahim Chibi & Sidi Mohamed Chekouri & Mohamed Benbouziane, 2015. "Assessing Fiscal Sustainability in Algeria: a Nonlinear Approach," Working Papers 962, Economic Research Forum, revised Oct 2015.
    4. Abderrahim Chibi & Sidi Mohamed Chekouri & Mohamed Benbouziane, 2019. "Debt sustainability, structural breaks and nonlinear fiscal adjustment: empirical evidence from Algeria," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 66(4), pages 369-397, December.
    5. Abderrahim Chibi & Sidi Mohamed Chekouri & Mohamed Benbouziane, 2019. "The dynamics of fiscal policy in Algeria: sustainability and structural change," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-27, December.
    6. Bhatt Hakhu, Antra & Piergallini, Alessandro & Scaramozzino, Pasquale, 2014. "Public Capital Expenditure and Debt Dynamics: Evidence from the European Union," MPRA Paper 62827, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Alessandro Piergallini, 2019. "Nonlinear policy behavior, multiple equilibria and debt-deflation attractors," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 563-580, April.
    8. Chen, Shyh-Wei & Wu, An-Chi, 2018. "Is there a bubble component in government debt? New international evidence," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 467-486.
    9. Canofari, Paolo & Marini, Giancarlo & Piergallini, Alessandro, 2020. "Financial Crisis and Sustainability of US Fiscal Deficit: Indicators or Tests?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 192-204.
    10. Sidi Mohammed Chekouri & Abderrahim Chibi & Mohamed Benbouziane, 2024. "Public debt dynamics and fiscal sustainability in selected North African countries: new evidence from recurrent explosive behavior tests and quantile unit root analysis," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1-27, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal Policy; Fiscal Sustainability; Non-Linearity.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C20 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - General
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General

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