Expenditure reform in industralised countries: a case study approach

Sebastian Hauptmeier, Martin Heipertz and Ludger Schuknecht

No 06-050, ZEW Discussion Papers from ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research

Abstract: This study examines reforms of public expenditure in industrialised countries over the past two decades. We distinguish ambitious and timid reformers and analyse in detail reform experiences in eight case studies of ambitious reform episodes. We find that ambitious reform countries reduce spending on transfers, subsidies and public consumption while largely sparing education spending. Such expenditure retrenchment is also typically part of a comprehensive reform package that includes improvements in fiscal institutions as well as structural and other macroeconomic reforms. The study finds that ambitious expenditure retrenchment and reform coincides with large improvements in fiscal and economic growth indicators.

Keywords: public expenditure; expenditure reform; economic growth; deficit; debt; employment; case studies; fiscal institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H5 H6 O57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pbe
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Expenditure Reform in Industrialised Countries: A Case-Study Approach* (2007)
Working Paper: Expenditure reform in industrialised countries: a case study approach (2006)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:zewdip:5443

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