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National fiscal consolidations and regional inequality in Europe

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  • Luca Agnello
  • Giorgio Fazio
  • Ricardo M. Sousa

Abstract

Using annual data for 13 European countries over the period 1980–2008, we assess the impact of national fiscal consolidations on the income inequality of European regions. Regional dispersion increases in the outcome of consolidation episodes, particularly, when packages are more severe and implemented through spending cuts rather than tax rises. From a policy perspective, these findings suggest that fiscal consolidations driven by reductions in government spending can exacerbate regional disparities and may ultimately counteract the European policy efforts to promote territorial cohesion. Our results are robust to alternative inequality measures, the occurrence of crisis episodes and the exclusion of fiscal outliers.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca Agnello & Giorgio Fazio & Ricardo M. Sousa, 2016. "National fiscal consolidations and regional inequality in Europe," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 9(1), pages 59-80.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:cjrecs:v:9:y:2016:i:1:p:59-80.
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    Cited by:

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    10. Philipp Heimberger, 2018. "The Dynamic Effects of Fiscal Consolidation Episodes on Income Inequality," wiiw Working Papers 147, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
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    15. Dante Souza Cardoso & Laura Barbosa de Carvalho, 2023. "Effects of fiscal consolidation on income inequality: narrative evidence from South America," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 64(3), pages 1177-1218, March.
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    17. Gianluca Cafiso & Roberto Cellini, 2022. "Market-Induced Fiscal Discipline in Europe," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 8(2), pages 259-287, July.
    18. Vitor Castro, 2016. "On the behaviour of the functional components ofgovernment expenditures during fiscal consolidations," NIPE Working Papers 11/2016, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    19. Florentin Kerschbaumer & Andreas Maschke, 2020. "European Monetary Union and Inequality: A Synthetic Control Approach," Working Papers PKWP2024, Post Keynesian Economics Society (PKES).
    20. Philip Arestis & Peter Phelps, 2018. "Inequality implications of European economic and monetary union membership: A reassessment," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 50(7), pages 1443-1472, October.
    21. Juan R. Cuadrado-Roura & Ron Martin & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2016. "The economic crisis in Europe: urban and regional consequences," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 9(1), pages 3-11.

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