Political leaders' socioeconomic background and fiscal performance in Germany

Bernd Hayo and Florian Neumeier ()

European Journal of Political Economy, 2014, vol. 34, issue C, 184-205

Abstract: This paper investigates whether the socioeconomic status of the head of government helps explain fiscal performance. Applying sociological research that attributes differences in people's ways of thinking and acting to their relative standing within society, we test whether the social status of German prime ministers can help explain differences in fiscal performance among the German Laender. Our empirical findings show that the tenures of prime ministers from a poorer socioeconomic background are associated with higher levels of public spending and debt financing. Social mobility has an asymmetric influence: social climbers adapt to their new class, whereas downwardly mobile prime ministers remain primarily influenced by their parents' upper-class status.

Keywords: Leadership; Socioeconomic status; Fiscal policy; Public spending; Public deficit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E61 E62 H11 H72 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (49)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Political Leaders’ Socioeconomic Background and Fiscal Performance in Germany (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:poleco:v:34:y:2014:i:c:p:184-205

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2014.01.009

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