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Democracy, Elections and Government Budget Deficits

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  • Jakob Haan

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="geer12022-abs-0001"> I review research on the relationship between democracy and government indebtedness. I first discuss whether the extent to which politicians use fiscal policy for reelection purposes is conditioned by a country's experience with democracy. Political budget cycles are not confined to young democracies, but evidence suggests that in younger democracies such cycles are more likely and also stronger than in more mature democracies. Next, I discuss whether the use of fiscal policy by the incumbent increases his/her chances for reelection. Research discussed suggests that political parties in government benefit to some extent if fiscal policy turns expansionary before elections occur.

Suggested Citation

  • Jakob Haan, 2014. "Democracy, Elections and Government Budget Deficits," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 15(1), pages 131-142, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:germec:v:15:y:2014:i:1:p:131-142
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/geer.2014.15.issue-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kjell Hausken & Christian W. Martin & Thomas Plümper, 2004. "Government Spending and Taxation in Democracies and Autocracies," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 239-259, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Blaise Gnimassoun & Isabelle Do Santos, 2021. "Robust structural determinants of public deficits in developing countries," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(9), pages 1052-1076, February.
    2. Sezer Yasar & Ceyhun Elgin, 2024. "Democracy and fiscal-policy response to COVID-19," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 198(1), pages 25-45, January.
    3. Beate Jochimsen & Robert Lehmann, 2017. "On the political economy of national tax revenue forecasts: evidence from OECD countries," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 211-230, March.
    4. Adam Pigoń & Michał Ramsza, 2022. "A Comparison of German, Swiss, and Polish Fiscal Rules Using Monte Carlo Simulations," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 4, pages 17-41.
    5. Emilian Dobrescu, 2018. "Functional trinity of public finance in an emerging economy," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 7(1), pages 1-27, December.

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