Economic Growth and Budgetary Components: a Panel Assessment for the EU
JOURNAL
YEAR
Sep 21, 2011
TYPE
Articles in journals
AUTHORS
Afonso, A., González Alegre, J.
VOL Nº
41
PAGES
20
ABSTRACT
In this paper we test whether a reallocation of government budgetary components can enhance long-term GDP growth in a set of 15 EU countries. We apply panel data techniques to the period 1971-2006, and use three alternative dependent variables in a growth regression: economic growth, total factor productivity and labour productivity. Our results also identify the distortions induced by public expenditure in the private factors allocation. In particular, we detect a strong crowding-in effect associated to public investment, which has enhanced economic growth by boosting private investment. We also associate a dependence of productivity on public expenditure on social security.
JEL CLASS
KEYWORDS
Economic growth,Panel models,Fiscal policy,EU