Is fiscal fatigue a threat to consolidation programmes?

Building on a narrative approach to identify episodes of fiscal consolidation, data for a group of 17 industrial countries over the period 1978-2009 and continuous-time duration models, we find evidence suggesting that the likelihood of a fiscal consolidation ending increases over time, but only for...

ver descrição completa

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor principal: Agnello, Luca (author)
Outros Autores: Castro, Vítor (author), Sousa, Ricardo M. (author)
Formato: article
Idioma:eng
Publicado em: 2015
Assuntos:
Texto completo:http://hdl.handle.net/1822/26894
País:Portugal
Oai:oai:repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt:1822/26894
Descrição
Resumo:Building on a narrative approach to identify episodes of fiscal consolidation, data for a group of 17 industrial countries over the period 1978-2009 and continuous-time duration models, we find evidence suggesting that the likelihood of a fiscal consolidation ending increases over time, but only for programs that last less than six years. Additionally, fiscal consolidations tend to last longer in non-European than in European countries. Our results emphasize that chronic fiscal imbalances might lead to a vicious austerity cycle, while discipline in the behaviour of fiscal authorities is a means of achieving credible and shorter adjustment measures. Therefore, fiscal fatigue is likely to compromise the implementation and successfulness of fiscal consolidation programmes.