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Fiscal stagnation

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We study public debt sustainability in an economy with endogenous productivity growth. Our model has two key features: i) financing large primary surpluses entails fiscal distortions that depress investment and growth, ii) low growth increases the primary surpluses needed to stabilize the public debt-to-GDP ratio. Negative shocks to fundamentals or pessimistic animal spirits may drive the economy into a state of fiscal stagnation, characterized by high public debt, large fiscal distortions and low productivity growth. We discuss policy options to avoid/escape fiscal stagnation.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca Fornaro & Martin Wolf, 2025. "Fiscal stagnation," Economics Working Papers 1905, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
  • Handle: RePEc:upf:upfgen:1905
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    1. Bastasin,Carlo & Toniolo,Gianni, 2023. "The Rise and Fall of the Italian Economy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781009235341, January.
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    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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