Searching for Non-Keynesian Effects of Fiscal Policy

IGIER Working Paper No. 136

27 Pages Posted: 14 Jan 1999

See all articles by Francesco Giavazzi

Francesco Giavazzi

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Bocconi - Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research (IGIER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Tullio Jappelli

University of Naples Federico II - Department of Economics and Statistics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI); Center for Studies in Economics and Finance - CSEF; CSEF - University of Naples Federico II - Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF)

Marco Pagano

CSEF - University of Naples Federico II - Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF); Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF); Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

Date Written: September 1998

Abstract

We search for the circumstances in which the response of national saving to fiscal policy contradicts conventional Keynesian predictions, using data from 18 OECD countries. The data suggest that non-Keynesian effects are associated with large and persistent fiscal impulses. Such responses can be traced to changes in taxes and transfers, more than to changes in government consumption, and are stronger for fiscal contractions than expansions. During large contractions an increase in taxes has no effect on national saving. High or rapidly growing public debt is not a good predictor of non-Keynesian effects. Finally, the composition of the fiscal impulse matters: the non-Keynesian effects of a large fiscal contraction are enhanced when this is carried out primarily by raising taxes.

JEL Classification: E21, E62, H31

Suggested Citation

Giavazzi, Francesco and Giavazzi, Francesco and Jappelli, Tullio and Pagano, Marco, Searching for Non-Keynesian Effects of Fiscal Policy (September 1998). IGIER Working Paper No. 136, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=133335 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.133335

Francesco Giavazzi (Contact Author)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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University of Bocconi - Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research (IGIER) ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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Tullio Jappelli

University of Naples Federico II - Department of Economics and Statistics ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://www.csef.it/people/jappelli.htm

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

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Belgium

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Center for Studies in Economics and Finance - CSEF ( email )

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Napoli, 80126
Italy

HOME PAGE: http://www.csef.it/people/jappelli.htm

CSEF - University of Naples Federico II - Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF) ( email )

Via Cintia
Complesso Monte S. Angelo
Naples, Naples 80126
Italy

HOME PAGE: http://www.csef.it/people/jappelli.htm

Marco Pagano

CSEF - University of Naples Federico II - Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF) ( email )

Via Cintia
Complesso Monte S. Angelo
Naples, Naples 80126
Italy

Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF)

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Rome, 00187
Italy

Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN)

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Stockholm, SE-102 15
Sweden

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

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Rue Ducale 1 Hertogsstraat
1000 Brussels
Belgium

HOME PAGE: http:/www.ecgi.org