IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/eei/rpaper/eeri_rp_2021_03.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Is Military Spending Quantitatively Important for Business Cycle Fluctuations?

Author

Listed:
  • Aleksandar Vasilev

Abstract

We introduce a military sector and external security considerations into a real-business-cycle setup with a public sector. We calibrate the model to Bulgarian data for the period following the introduction of the currency board arrangement (1999-2018). We investigate the quantitative importance of the presence of a military sector and external threat considerations for the cyclical fluctuations in Bulgaria. We find the quantitative effect of such aspects to be very small, and thus not important for business cycle stabilization, or public finance issues, as in Bulgaria the spending on military is relatively small relative to the size of the economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Aleksandar Vasilev, 2021. "Is Military Spending Quantitatively Important for Business Cycle Fluctuations?," EERI Research Paper Series EERI RP 2021/03, Economics and Econometrics Research Institute (EERI), Brussels.
  • Handle: RePEc:eei:rpaper:eeri_rp_2021_03
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.eeri.eu/documents/wp/EERI_RP_2021_03.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Keith Hartley, 2010. "The Case For Defence," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(5-6), pages 409-426.
    2. Baxter, Marianne & King, Robert G, 1993. "Fiscal Policy in General Equilibrium," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(3), pages 315-334, June.
    3. Anton Braun, R., 1994. "Tax disturbances and real economic activity in the postwar United States," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 441-462, June.
    4. Gonzalo F-de-Córdoba & José L. Torres, 2016. "National security, military spending and the business cycle," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(4), pages 549-570, August.
    5. Joshua Aizenman & Reuven Glick, 2006. "Military expenditure, threats, and growth," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 129-155.
    6. Robert A. Amano & Tony S. Wirjanto, 1998. "Government Expenditures and the Permanent-Income Model," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 1(3), pages 719-730, July.
    7. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2020. "Search and matching frictions and business cycle fluctuations in Bulgaria," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 19(3), pages 319-340.
    8. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2017. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an exogenous growth model with an informal sector," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 60(2), pages 1-13.
    9. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2017. "A Real-Business-Cycle Model with Reciprocity in Labor Relations and Fiscal Policy: The Case of Bulgaria," Bulgarian Economic Papers bep-2017-03, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski - Bulgaria // Center for Economic Theories and Policies at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, revised Mar 2017.
    10. Barro, Robert J, 1981. "Output Effects of Government Purchases," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(6), pages 1086-1121, December.
    11. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2009. "Business cycles in Bulgaria and the Baltic countries: an RBC approach," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 1(2), pages 148-170.
    12. Benoit, Emile, 1978. "Growth and Defense in Developing Countries," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(2), pages 271-280, January.
    13. McGrattan, Ellen R., 1994. "The macroeconomic effects of distortionary taxation," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 573-601, June.
    14. Sandler,Todd & Hartley,Keith, 1995. "The Economics of Defense," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521447287, September.
    15. Christiano, Lawrence J & Eichenbaum, Martin, 1992. "Current Real-Business-Cycle Theories and Aggregate Labor-Market Fluctuations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 82(3), pages 430-450, June.
    16. Deger, Saadet, 1986. "Economic Development and Defense Expenditure," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 35(1), pages 179-196, October.
    17. Robert J. Barro & Charles J. Redlick, 2011. "Macroeconomic Effects From Government Purchases and Taxes," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 126(1), pages 51-102.
    18. Keith Hartley & Todd Sandler (ed.), 1995. "Handbook of Defense Economics," Handbook of Defense Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 1, number 1.
    19. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2016. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an endogenous growth model with human capital accumulation," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 59(2), pages 1-15.
    20. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2017. "A Real-Business-Cycle model with efficiency wages and a government sector: the case of Bulgaria," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue 4, pages 359-377.
    21. Ram, Rati, 1995. "Defense expenditure and economic growth," Handbook of Defense Economics, in: Keith Hartley & Todd Sandler (ed.), Handbook of Defense Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 10, pages 251-274, Elsevier.
    22. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2016. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an endogenous growth model with human capital accumulation: the case of Bulgaria," EconStor Preprints 144212, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2021. "How quantitatively important is public investment for both business cycle fluctuations and output growth in Bulgaria (1999–2018)?," Macroeconomics and Finance in Emerging Market Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 126-141, May.
    2. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2020. "Does the form of the Aggregate Production Function Matter for Modelling Business Cycle Fluctuations? Lessons for Bulgaria (1999-2018)," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 18, pages 81-86.
    3. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2022. "A Progressive Consumption Tax: An Important Instrument for Stabilizing Business Cycles, or Just an Exotic Idea?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 63(10-12), pages 576-588.
    4. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2020. "How quantitatively important are the shocks to the time endowment for business cycle fluctuations? Lessons for Bulgaria (1999-2018)," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue forthcomi.
    5. Alptekin, Aynur & Levine, Paul, 2012. "Military expenditure and economic growth: A meta-analysis," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 636-650.
    6. Patrick Fève & Julien Matheron & Jean-Guillaume Sahuc, 2011. "A Pitfall with DSGE–Based, Estimated, Government Spending Multipliers," 2011 Meeting Papers 136, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    7. José L Torres, 2020. "The production of national defense and the macroeconomy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, October.
    8. Patrick F?ve & Julien Matheron & Jean-Guillaume Sahuc, 2013. "A Pitfall with Estimated DSGE-Based Government Spending Multipliers," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 141-178, October.
    9. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2022. "How important are shocks to the elasticity of aggregate labor supply for business cycle fluctuations? Lessons from Bulgaria," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 65(2), pages 48-67.
    10. Chang, Hsin-Chen & Huang, Bwo-Nung & Yang, Chin Wei, 2011. "Military expenditure and economic growth across different groups: A dynamic panel Granger-causality approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 2416-2423.
    11. Ünal Töngür & Adem Yavuz Elveren, 2017. "The nexus of economic growth, military expenditures, and income inequality," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 1821-1842, July.
    12. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2020. "An RBC model with investment-specific technological change: lessons for Bulgaria (1999–2018)," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 511-524, May.
    13. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2019. "Are Habits in Consumption Important for the Propagation of Business Cycle Fluctuations in Bulgaria?," Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, vol. 11(3), pages 133-151, September.
    14. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2018. "The role of energy in a real-business-cycle model with an endogenous capital utilization rate and a government sector: the case of Bulgaria (1999-2016)," EconStor Preprints 173966, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    15. Stefano Bosi & Thierry Laurent, 2006. "Military R&D, Growth and the Optimal Allocation of Governement Spending," Documents de recherche 06-12, Centre d'Études des Politiques Économiques (EPEE), Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne.
    16. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2019. "The role of energy in a real-business-cycle model with an endogenous capital utilization rate and a government sector: lessons from Bulgaria (1999-2016)," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 5(52), pages 130-141.
    17. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2018. "Are habits important for the propagation of business cycle fluctuations in Bulgaria?," EconStor Preprints 182501, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    18. Mie Augier & Robert McNab & Jerry Guo & Phillip Karber, 2017. "Defense spending and economic growth: evidence from China, 1952–2012," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(1), pages 65-90, January.
    19. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2022. "A Real-Business-Cycle Model with Endogenous Discounting and a Government Sector," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 54, pages 73-86, July.
    20. Jhy-Yuan Shieh & Wen-Ya Chang & Ching-Chong Lai, 2007. "An Endogenous Growth Model Of Capital And Arms Accumulation," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(6), pages 557-575.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Business cycles; military spending; security considerations; external threats; Bulgaria;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eei:rpaper:eeri_rp_2021_03. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Julia van Hove (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/eeriibe.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.