Why Austerity Can Be Self-Defeating for Member States of a Currency Union
19 Pages Posted: 3 Feb 2012 Last revised: 29 Mar 2012
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Why Austerity Can Be Self-Defeating for Member States of a Currency Union
Why Austerity Can Be Self-Defeating for Member States of a Currency Union
Date Written: January 15, 2012
Abstract
Despite all efforts to reduce government budget deficits, debt-to-GDP ratios of crisis-hit member states of the European Monetary Union are still growing faster than expected. At the same time GDP growth performance is poor and according to most forecasts expected to worsen. In this paper I show, based on a formal analysis of the determinants of debt-to-GDP ratios, that this is the likely outcome of austerity policy in member states of a currency union with overindebted private sectors.
Keywords: Fical Policy, Austerity Debate, Currency Union
JEL Classification: E62
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation