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Politico-Economic Determinants of Public Debt Growth: A Case Study for Austria

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  • Neck, Reinhard
  • Getzner, Michael

Abstract

Based on a number of economic and particularly politico-economic arguments, we examine the reasons for the growth of the central government's debt in Austria using time series data for the period 1960 to 1999. Starting with an empirical test of Bohn's theory of sustainability of fiscal policy, which is based on Barro's tax-smoothing model, we extend the model to account for several politico-economic variables suggested by public choice theories. Keynesian stabilization policy objectives, influences of ideology and political parties, the form of government and the political business cycle are tested regarding their ability to explain the growth of public debt in Austria. There is some empirical evidence for systematic influence of government behavior in accordance with recent public choice theories. However, it seems that the most important influence on Austrian fiscal policy is the unemployment rate, which has a significant influence on the decisions made by policy-makers. Concluding, we briefly discuss the implications of these results for the prospects of reducing public debt in Austria in the near future. Copyright 2001 by Kluwer Academic Publishers

Suggested Citation

  • Neck, Reinhard & Getzner, Michael, 2001. "Politico-Economic Determinants of Public Debt Growth: A Case Study for Austria," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 109(3-4), pages 243-268, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:109:y:2001:i:3-4:p:243-68
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    Cited by:

    1. Michał Mackiewicz & Piotr Krajewski, 2009. "On the mechanisms of achieving fiscal (un)sustainability: the case of Poland," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 36(4), pages 445-460, November.
    2. Hlongwane, Nyiko Worship & Daw, Olebogeng David, 2022. "Determinants of public debt in South Africa: A Regime-Switching Approach," MPRA Paper 113203, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Marc-Daniel Moessinger, 2014. "Do the personal characteristics of finance ministers affect changes in public debt?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 183-207, October.
    4. Moessinger, Marc-Daniel, 2012. "Do personal characteristics of finance ministers affect the development of public debt?," ZEW Discussion Papers 12-068, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    5. repec:kap:iaecre:v:17:y:2011:i:2:p:134-156 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Johann Bröthaler & Michael Getzner, 2015. "The Tax-Spend Debate and Budgetary Policy in Austria," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 21(3), pages 299-315, August.
    7. Carrera, Jorge & de la Vega, Pablo, 2021. "The impact of income inequality on public debt," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).
    8. Srđan Redžepagić & Matthieu Llorca, 2007. "Does Politics Matter in the Conduct of Fiscal Policy? Political Determinants of the Fiscal Sustainability: Evidence from Seven Individual Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC)," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 54(4), pages 489-500, December.
    9. Saeid Mahdavi, 2014. "Bohn's Test of Fiscal Sustainability of the American State Governments," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 80(4), pages 1028-1054, April.
    10. Sadik-Zada, Elkhan Richard & Gatto, Andrea, 2019. "Determinants of the Public Debt and the Role of the Natural Resources: a Cross-Country Analysis," ETA: Economic Theory and Applications 285026, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    11. Giovanni Di Bartolomeo & Marco Di Pietro & Enrico Saltari & Willi Semmler, 2018. "Public debt stabilization: the relevance of policymakers’ time horizons," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 177(3), pages 287-299, December.
    12. Gottfried Haber & Reinhard Neck, 2006. "Sustainability of Austrian public debt: a political economy perspective," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 33(2), pages 141-154, June.
    13. Thushyanthan Baskaran, 2010. "On the link between fiscal decentralization and public debt in OECD countries," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 145(3), pages 351-378, December.
    14. repec:grz:wpaper:2015-02 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Bougharriou, Nouha & Benayed, Walid & Gabsi, Foued Badr, 2022. "Democratic transition and fiscal policy in the Arab world," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 46(2).
    16. Johann Bröthaler & Michael Getzner & Gottfried Haber, 2015. "Sustainability of local government debt: a case study of Austrian municipalities," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 42(3), pages 521-546, August.
    17. Reinhard Neck & Gottfried Haber, 2012. "Is the Austrian public debt sustainable?," International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(1), pages 1-16.
    18. Maximilian Goedl & Christoph Zwick, 2018. "Assessing the stochastic stability of public debt: the case of Austria," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 45(3), pages 559-585, August.
    19. Bougharriou, Nouha & Benayed, Walid & Gabsi, Foued Badr, 2018. "How does democracy affect public debt? Evidence from the Arab world," Economics Discussion Papers 2018-54, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    20. J. Stephen Ferris, 2010. "Fiscal Policy from a Public Choice Perspective," Carleton Economic Papers 10-10, Carleton University, Department of Economics.
    21. Sanghee Park, 2018. "Understanding Public Sector Debt: Financial Vicious Circle under the Soft Budget Constraint," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 71-92, March.
    22. Reinhard Neck & Gottfried Haber & Andrea Klinglmair, 2015. "Austrian Public Debt Growth: A Public Choice Perspective," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 21(3), pages 249-260, August.
    23. Johann Bröthaler & Michael Getzner, 2011. "Fiscal Autonomy and Total Government Expenditure: An Austrian Case-study," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 17(2), pages 134-156, May.

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