Assessing Long-Term Fiscal Developments: A New Approach

Posted: 25 Apr 2011

See all articles by António Afonso

António Afonso

University of Lisbon - ISEG (School of Economics and Management); UECE (Research Unit on Complexity and Economics); ISEG Lisbon School of Economics and Management,Universidade de Lisboa; REM - Research in Economics and Mathematics

Luca Agnello

University of Palermo - Department of Economics, Business and Statistics; ECB Fiscal Policies Division

Davide Furceri

University of Palermo; Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD)

Ricardo M. Sousa

University of Minho; Economic Policies Research Unit (NIPE); London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Financial Markets Group; London School of Economics

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Date Written: February 2011

Abstract

We use a new approach to assess long-term fiscal developments. By analyzing the time-varying behaviour of the two components of government spending and revenue - responsiveness and persistence - a feature not captured by automatic stabilisers, we are able to infer about the sources of fiscal deterioration (improvement). Drawing on quarterly data, we estimate recursively these components within a system of government revenue and spending equations using a Three-Stage Least Square method for eight European Union countries plus the US. The results suggest that significant changes in the fiscal stance (including those related to the current crisis) are reflected in the estimates of persistence and responsiveness.

Suggested Citation

Afonso, António and Agnello, Luca and Furceri, Davide and Sousa, Ricardo Magalhaes, Assessing Long-Term Fiscal Developments: A New Approach (February 2011). Journal of International Money and Finance, Vol. 30, No. 1, 2011, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1817728

António Afonso (Contact Author)

University of Lisbon - ISEG (School of Economics and Management) ( email )

R. Miguel Lupi, 20
Lisbon, 1248-078
Portugal
+351 21 392 5985 (Phone)
+351 21 396 6407 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.iseg.ulisboa.pt/aquila/homepage/aafonso/research

UECE (Research Unit on Complexity and Economics) ( email )

Rua Miguel Lupi 20
Lisbon, 1249-078
Portugal
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HOME PAGE: http://uece.rc.iseg.ulisboa.pt/

ISEG Lisbon School of Economics and Management,Universidade de Lisboa ( email )

Rua do Quelhas 6
LISBOA, 1200-781
Portugal

REM - Research in Economics and Mathematics ( email )

ISEG, Universidade de Lisboa
Rua Miguel Lupi, 20
Lisboa, 1249-078
Portugal

HOME PAGE: http://rem.rc.iseg.ulisboa.pt/

Luca Agnello

University of Palermo - Department of Economics, Business and Statistics ( email )

Viale delle Scienze
Palermo, 90100
Italy

ECB Fiscal Policies Division ( email )

Kaiserstrasse 29
D-60311 Frankfurt am Main
Germany

Davide Furceri

University of Palermo ( email )

Viale delle Scienza
Palermo, Palermo 90128
Italy

Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) ( email )

2 rue Andre Pascal
Paris Cedex 16, 75775
France

Ricardo Magalhaes Sousa

University of Minho ( email )

Campus Gualtar
Braga, 4710-057
Portugal
+351253604584 (Phone)
+351253676375 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.eeg.uminho.pt/economia/rjsousa

Economic Policies Research Unit (NIPE) ( email )

Campus de Gualtar
Braga, 4710-057
Portugal
+351253604584 (Phone)
+351253676375 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.eeg.uminho.pt/economia/rjsousa

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Financial Markets Group ( email )

Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom

London School of Economics ( email )

Houghton Street
London, WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://econ.lse.ac.uk

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