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Measuring compliance with the Golden Rule

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  • Marc Robinson

Abstract

The golden rule of public finance is based upon the notion that intergenerational equity requires that the cost of public expenditures be spread over time in a manner that reflects the intertemporal distribution of the benefits generated by those expenditures. This is often translated into a rule that the budget be structurally balanced in accrual accounting terms. This article considers the form of accrual accounting that is most suited to the task of measuring the consistency of fiscal policy with the golden rule. It recommends a combination of the real capital maintenance approach (also known as ‘current purchasing power accounting’) and annuity depreciation. Such an approach differs from ‘current cost accounting’, which has dominated public sector models of accrual accounting in recent years. The meaning of balance-sheet measures is also considered, and it is concluded that the golden rule is more appropriately expressed as an accrual balanced budget requirement than as a requirement for the maintenance of constant net worth.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc Robinson, 1998. "Measuring compliance with the Golden Rule," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 19(4), pages 447-462, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:ifs:fistud:v:19:y:1998:i:4:p:447-462
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    File URL: http://www.ifs.org.uk/fs/articles/robinson_nov98.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Raffer, Christian, 2020. "Accrual Accounting and the Local Government Budget - A Matching Evaluation," VfS Annual Conference 2020 (Virtual Conference): Gender Economics 224630, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Kea BARET, 2023. "On the importance of statistical governance quality and accurate targets for fiscal rules’ performance," Working Papers of BETA 2023-40, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    3. Uchida, Yuki & Ono, Tetsuo, 2021. "Borrowing to finance public investment: a politico-economic analysis of fiscal rules," MPRA Paper 115844, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 31 Dec 2022.
    4. Kellermann, Kersten, 2007. "Debt financing of public investment: On a popular misinterpretation of "the golden rule of public sector borrowing"," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 1088-1104, December.
    5. Eduard N. Hakobyan & Narek N. Karapetyan, 2018. "How to Ensure Debt Sustainability and React to Economic Cycles? The Upgrade of Fiscal Rules in Armenia," Finansovyj žhurnal — Financial Journal, Financial Research Institute, Moscow 125375, Russia, issue 4, pages 10-20, August.
    6. Mark Christensen, 2007. "What We Might Know (But Aren't Sure) About Public-Sector Accrual Accounting," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 17(41), pages 51-65, March.
    7. Fabrizio Balassone & Daniele Franco, 2000. "Public investment, the Stability Pact and the ‘golden rule’," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 21(2), pages 207-229, June.
    8. Koch, Daniel, 2011. "Wirksame Begrenzung von Staatsverschuldung auf europäischer Ebene," Discussion Paper Series 114, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Chair of Economic Order and Social Policy.
    9. Marc Robinson, 2000. "Accrual Financial Reporting and Australian Fiscal Policy," School of Economics and Finance Discussion Papers and Working Papers Series 084, School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology.
    10. Marc Robinson, 1999. "Accrual Financial Reporting In the Australian Public Sector: An Economic Perspective," School of Economics and Finance Discussion Papers and Working Papers Series 065, School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology.
    11. Alexander Zorn & Michele Esteves & Ivo Baur & Markus Lips, 2018. "Financial Ratios as Indicators of Economic Sustainability: A Quantitative Analysis for Swiss Dairy Farms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-20, August.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H6 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt
    • M40 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - General

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