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National Income Accounting and Public Policy

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  • Randall G. Holcombe

Abstract

Modern national income accounting was designed in the early 20th century for the purpose of providing improved indicators about the performance of the economy so that government policy makers could better control the economy. The way that performance is measured affects the types of policies used to try to accomplish policy goals. Two attributes of national income accounting are analyzed for their effects on economic policy. First, government production is included in the national income accounts at cost, rather than at market value as private sector output is measured. This biases policy toward a larger public sector. Second, output is measured as a homogeneous dollar amount. This biases policy toward focusing on increasing quantities of inputs and outputs in the production process, rather than on innovation and entrepreneurship, which are the true engines of economic progress. Economic policy could be improved by focusing less on national income as an indicator of policy, and more on the underlying processes that foster economic progress.

Suggested Citation

  • Randall G. Holcombe, 2004. "National Income Accounting and Public Policy," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 17(4), pages 387-405, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:revaec:v:17:y:2004:i:4:p:387-405
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    Cited by:

    1. Fabrizio Antolini & Biagio Simonetti, 2019. "The Easterlin Paradox in Italy, or the Paradox in Measuring? Define Happiness Before Investigating It," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 146(1), pages 263-285, November.
    2. Vaclav Rybacek, 2016. "Is The Size Of Government Underestimated? On The Treatment Of Market In Macroeconomic Statistics," Romanian Economic Business Review, Romanian-American University, vol. 11(4), pages 85-90, december.
    3. repec:wvu:wpaper:09-06 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. François Facchini, 2007. "Entrepreneur et croissance économique : développements récents," Post-Print hal-00270436, HAL.
    5. Vaclav RYBACEK, 2017. "Measurement Of Market Mechanism, How Big Is Government?," Review of Social and Economic Issues, Romanian-American University, vol. 1(4), pages 74-81, march.
    6. Fabrizio Antolini, 2016. "The Evolution of National Accounting and New Statistical Information: Happiness and Gross Domestic Product, Can We Measure It?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(3), pages 1075-1092, December.
    7. Edmund Ayesu & John O. Olaomi, 2021. "The Relationship Between Fiscal Deficit and Current Account Deficit in the Case of the West African Monetary Zone: A Bivariate DSEM/RDSEM Approach," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 11(7), pages 575-590, July.

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