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Productive government spending and private consumption: a pessimistic view

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  • Juha Tervala

    (University of Helsinki)

Abstract

This paper analyses the consequences of productive government spending on private consumption. In a related work, Linnemann and Schabert (2006) found that a moderate output elasticity of government expenditures is sufficient to generate a positive consumption response to a fiscal shock. It is shown in this paper that pessimism as to the ability of productive government spending to account for an empirically observed positive consumption response is in order because a balanced budget increase in government spending increases private consumption only if the productivity of government spending is relatively high. For realistic values of the output elasticity of government spending, a positive consumption response is ruled out.

Suggested Citation

  • Juha Tervala, 2009. "Productive government spending and private consumption: a pessimistic view," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 29(1), pages 416-425.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-08h30005
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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2009/Volume29/EB-09-V29-I1-P43.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Linnemann, Ludger & Schabert, Andreas, 2004. "Can fiscal spending stimulate private consumption?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 173-179, February.
    2. Andrew Mountford & Harald Uhlig, 2009. "What are the effects of fiscal policy shocks?," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(6), pages 960-992.
    3. David Domeij & Martin Floden, 2006. "The Labor-Supply Elasticity and Borrowing Constraints: Why Estimates are Biased," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 9(2), pages 242-262, April.
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    5. Hafedh Bouakez & Nooman Rebei, 2007. "Why does private consumption rise after a government spending shock?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 40(3), pages 954-979, August.
    6. Miles S. Kimball & Matthew D. Shapiro, 2008. "Labor Supply: Are the Income and Substitution Effects Both Large or Both Small?," NBER Working Papers 14208, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Ganelli, Giovanni & Tervala, Juha, 2009. "Can government spending increase private consumption? The role of complementarity," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 103(1), pages 5-7, April.
    8. Ludger Linnemann & Andreas Schabert, 2006. "Productive Government Expenditure In Monetary Business Cycle Models," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 53(1), pages 28-46, February.
    9. Giovanni Ganelli, 2007. "The Effects Of Fiscal Shocks On Consumption: Reconciling Theory And Data," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 75(2), pages 193-209, March.
    10. Perotti, Roberto, 2005. "Estimating the Effects of Fiscal Policy in OECD Countries," CEPR Discussion Papers 4842, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Evans, Paul & Karras, Georgios, 1994. "Are Government Activities Productive? Evidence from a Panel of U.S. States," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 76(1), pages 1-11, February.
    12. Olivier Blanchard & Roberto Perotti, 2002. "An Empirical Characterization of the Dynamic Effects of Changes in Government Spending and Taxes on Output," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(4), pages 1329-1368.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lecca, Patrizio & McGregor, Peter G. & Swales, J. Kim, 2010. "Balanced Budget Government Spending in a Small Open Regional Economy," SIRE Discussion Papers 2010-68, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    2. Funashima, Yoshito, 2014. "A Comprehensive Analysis of the Response of Private Consumption to Government Spending," MPRA Paper 59968, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Dawood, Taufiq Carnegie & Francois, John Nana, 2018. "Substitution between private and government consumption in African economies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 129-139.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H3 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents
    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook

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