Repairing the Budget Contract between Citizens and the State

This article argues that the budget is essentially a contract between citizens and the state, and that the contract is in a great state of disrepair. The ongoing debate and action in OECD countries should focus on post-crisis revenue and expenditure policies in order to repair this contract. The combination of fiscal stress, high expectations and citizen mistrust, however, greatly complicates the task. JEL classification: A130, H500, H600 Keywords: budget as contract, citizen expectations, citizen participation in government, trust in government, sustainable revenue and expenditure policies, accountability