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Private Debt Overhang and the Government Spending Multiplier: Evidence for the United States

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  • Marco Bernardini
  • Gert Peersman

Abstract

Using state-dependent local projection methods and historical U.S. data, we find that government spending multipliers are considerably larger in periods of private debt overhang. In particular, we find significant crowding-out of personal consumption and investment in low-debt states, resulting in multipliers that are significantly below one. Conversely, in periods of private debt overhang, there is a strong crowding-in effect, while multipliers are much larger than one. In high-debt states, more (less) government purchases also reduce (increase) the government debt-to-GDP ratio. These results are robust for the type of government spending shocks, and when we control for the business cycle, government debt overhang and the zero lower bound on the nominal interest rate. Our findings imply that spending multipliers were likely much larger than average during the Great Recession.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Bernardini & Gert Peersman, 2015. "Private Debt Overhang and the Government Spending Multiplier: Evidence for the United States," CESifo Working Paper Series 5284, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_5284
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    government spending multipliers; drivers; private debt;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • N12 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-

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