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Legislative production and public spending in France

Author

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  • François Facchini

    (University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Centre d’Economie de la Sorbonne)

  • Elena Seghezza

    (University of Genoa)

Abstract

The aim of this article is to help explain the history of the public spending-to-GDP ratio in France by examining the production of laws and regulations. It empirically finds a positive and significant relationship between the number of pages in the Official Gazette of the French Republic and the development of the public expenditure-to-GDP ratio. We rely on the number of pages in the Official Gazette as a proxy for the cost of implementing laws and regulations. If unchecked, a proliferation of laws and regulations expands public spending. Over the period 1905–2015, a 10% increase in pages caused a 1.14% increase in the public expenditure-to-GDP ratio.

Suggested Citation

  • François Facchini & Elena Seghezza, 2021. "Legislative production and public spending in France," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 189(1), pages 71-91, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:189:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s11127-020-00858-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-020-00858-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Cristian Barra & Nazzareno Ruggiero, 2023. "Institutional quality and public spending in Europe: A quantile regression approach," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 949-1019, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public spending; Law; “Self-reinforcing” process;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H61 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Budget; Budget Systems
    • K20 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - General
    • N44 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: 1913-

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