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Some Lessons for Fiscal Policy from the Financial Crisis

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  • Philip Lane

    (Institute for International Integration Studies, Trinity College Dublin)

Abstract

The current crisis calls for a re-assessment of the optimal conduct of macroeconomic policies during non-crisis normal times. In particular, the risk and costs of crises can be mitigated by macroeconomic policies that lean against the wind in the face of cyclical, sectoral and external shocks. In this paper, I discuss the challenges involved in deploying fiscal policy in pursuit of a broad definition of macroeconomic stabilisation. The main policy conclusion is that pro-stabilisation fiscal policies are likely to be more effective if fiscal policy is determined under a formal fiscal framework that combines a set of fiscal rules and a substantive role for an independent fiscal policy council.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Lane, 2010. "Some Lessons for Fiscal Policy from the Financial Crisis," The Institute for International Integration Studies Discussion Paper Series iiisdp334, IIIS.
    • Handle: RePEc:iis:dispap:iiisdp334
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    22. Diarmaid Addison-Smyth & Kieran McQuinn, 2010. "Quantifying Revenue Windfalls from the Irish Housing Market," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 41(2), pages 201-233.
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    Cited by:

    1. Robert A Buckle & Amy A Cruickshank, 2013. "The Requirements for Long-Run Fiscal Sustainability," Treasury Working Paper Series 13/20, New Zealand Treasury.
    2. Bénétrix, Agustín S. & Lane, Philip R., 2013. "Fiscal cyclicality and EMU," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 164-176.
    3. Dybczak, Kamil & Melecky, Martin, 2014. "EU fiscal stance vulnerability: Are the old members the gold members?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 87-101.
    4. Anne-Marie Brook, 2013. "Making fiscal policy more stabilising in the next upturn: Challenges and policy options," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(1), pages 71-94, April.
    5. Ferré, Montserrat, 2012. "The effects of uncertainty about countries’ compliance with the Stability and Growth Pact," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 660-674.
    6. Alexandra ADAM & Silvia Elena IACOB, 2012. "Consequences and possible solutions of financial crisis," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(12(577)), pages 142-148, December.
    7. Ivan Ilkov, 2014. "Fiscal problems in the Eurozone," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 81-104.
    8. Bostan Ionel, 2014. "Juridical Tools of Governmental Nature Used to Mitigate Various Difficulties of the Financial and Budgetary System," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 61(2), pages 133-148, December.
    9. Philip Lane, 2013. "International Capital Flows and Domestic Financial Conditions: Lessons for Emerging Asia," The Institute for International Integration Studies Discussion Paper Series iiisdp438, IIIS.
    10. Philip R. Lane, 2013. "External imbalances and macroeconomic policy," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(1), pages 53-70, April.
    11. Vo Phuong Mai Le & David Meenagh & Patrick Minford, 2024. "The Role of Fiscal Policy — A Survey of Recent Empirical Findings," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 35(5), pages 985-998, November.
    12. Calmfors, Lars, 2011. "The Swedish Fiscal Policy Council," Seminar Papers 769, Stockholm University, Institute for International Economic Studies.
    13. Philip R. Lane, 2012. "The European Sovereign Debt Crisis," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 26(3), pages 49-68, Summer.
    14. Stefan Hohberger & Lukas Vogel & Bernhard Herz, 2014. "Budgetary-Neutral Fiscal Policy Rules and External Adjustment," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 909-936, November.
    15. Agust n S. B n trix & Philip R. Lane, 2015. "Financial Cycles and Fiscal Cycles," Trinity Economics Papers tep0815, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
    16. Jakob de Haan & Niels D. Gilbert & Jeroen Hessel & Silvie Verkaart, 2013. "How to Enforce Fiscal Discipline in EMU: A Proposal," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 149(II), pages 205-217, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fiscal council; fiscal rules; macroeconomic stabilisation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General

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