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Corruption and public debt: a cross-country analysis

Author

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  • Luigi Benfratello
  • Alfredo Del Monte
  • Luca Pennacchio

Abstract

Using data from a large panel of countries over the period 1995–2015, this article empirically investigates the effect of corruption on public debt. Overall, the estimates reveal that corruption increases public debt. The effect, however, appears to be heterogeneous across income-related sample splits: it is stronger for advanced economies, but weaker and less statistically robust for less-developed countries, where external factors such as foreign aid may also affect public debt. The analysis suggests the inadequacy of conventional wisdom assuming that more detrimental fiscal effects of corruption arise in low-income countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Luigi Benfratello & Alfredo Del Monte & Luca Pennacchio, 2018. "Corruption and public debt: a cross-country analysis," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(5), pages 340-344, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:25:y:2018:i:5:p:340-344
    DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2017.1321831
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Sher Khan, 2022. "Investigating the Effect of Income Inequality on Corruption: New Evidence from 23 Emerging Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2100-2126, September.
    2. Blaise Gnimassoun & Isabelle Do Santos, 2021. "Robust structural determinants of public deficits in developing countries," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(9), pages 1052-1076, February.
    3. Bruno Emmanuel Ongo Nkoa & Jacques Simon Song, 2022. "Does Institutional Quality increase inequalities in Africa?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 1896-1927, September.
    4. Boateng, Agyenim & Wang, Yan & Ntim, Collins G. & Elmagrhi, Mohamed, 2024. "Institutions and corruption relationship: Evidence from African countries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(3).
    5. Tran, My Thi Ha, 2021. "Public Sector Management And Corruption In Asean Plus Six," OSF Preprints stxw4, Center for Open Science.
    6. Henri Njangang & Simplice A. Asongu & Eric Mouchili, 2022. "Does corruption starve? An African perspective," Working Papers 22/022, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    7. Njangang, Henri & Asongu, Simplice A. & Mouchili, Eric, 2024. "Does corruption starve Africa? The mitigating effect of political distribution of power," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 171-197.
    8. Yang Li & Hu WenXiu & Su ZhenXing, 2023. "Impact of Local Official Corruption on Local Government Debt in China: The Mediating Role of Government Investment Efficiency," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, July.
    9. Sulemana, Iddisah & Kpienbaareh, Daniel, 2018. "An empirical examination of the relationship between income inequality and corruption in Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 27-42.
    10. Qamar Abbas & Li Junqing & Muhammad Ramzan & Sumbal Fatima, 2021. "Role of Governance in Debt-Growth Relationship: Evidence from Panel Data Estimations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-19, May.
    11. Amarachukwu Anthony ANYANWU, 2021. "Debt-financed public investment in developing countries: Does the efficiency of public investment matter?," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(1(626), S), pages 259-272, Spring.
    12. Kevin Bica & Erinda Imeraj, 2024. "Assessment of Public Debt Drivers in the Balkans," Journal of Financial Studies, Institute of Financial Studies, vol. 16(9), pages 52-67, May.
    13. Roberta Troisi & Annamaria Nese & Rocío Blanco-Gregory & Monica Anna Giovanniello, 2023. "The Effects of Corruption and Innovation on Sustainability: A Firm-Level Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, January.
    14. Karim Bouchrara & Houssem Rachdi & Khaled Guesmi, 2020. "The Non-Linear Relationship Between Economic Growth and Public Debt," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(3), pages 2336-2343.
    15. Mindaugas Butkus & Janina Seputiene, 2018. "Growth Effect of Public Debt: The Role of Government Effectiveness and Trade Balance," Economies, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-27, November.
    16. Mungiu-Pippidi, Alina & Hartmann, Till, 2019. "Corruption and Development: A Reappraisal," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    17. Salma Karim & Md. Qamruzzaman & Ishrat Jahan, 2023. "Nexus between Government Debt, Globalization, FDI, Renewable Energy, and Institutional Quality in Bangladesh," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(3), pages 443-456, May.

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