This book presents alternative macroeconomic perspectives, primarily open economy, on the limitations of discretionary fiscal policy, with a focus on government spending. Following an overview on the post-crisis Keynesian revival and of the macro-foundations needed for subsequent analysis,...

Introduction -- Sustainable Public Debt: Theory and Empirical Evidence -- Debt and Growth: A Basic Endogenous Growth Model -- Productive Government Spending, Public Debt and Growth -- Government Debt and Human Capital Formation -- Debt and Growth: Empirical Evidence -- Conclusion.

Starting point of this book is the observation that an increase in public debt must be accompanied by a rise in the primary surplus of the government to guarantee sustainability of public debt. The book first elaborates on that principle from a theoretical point of view and then tests whether...

Within the New Consensus Macroeconomics, monetary policy is upgraded while fiscal policy is downgraded. This new monetary policy has been the main instrument of policy under the guise of inflation targeting, an approach pursued by a number of central banks worldwide. This book raises problems...

1. Eurozone Crises -- 2. An 'Optimal' Currency Area: What Could it Mean? -- 3. Why was the EMU Established?: Different Perspectives -- 4. Balance of Payments Imbalances have Become the Achilles Heel of the EMU -- 5. Public Sector Deficit and Debt: Cause or Effect? -- 6. Macroeconomic Imbalances:...

This book deals with the key aspects of developments in monetary economics and macroeconomics, such as the New Consensus Macroeconomics, and further ones such as money, credit and the business cycle. Adding to the analysis are developments that focus on issues for open and spatial macroeconomics

The Closed Economy: Absence of a Deficit Target. -- Monetary Policy -- Fiscal Policy -- Monetary and Fiscal Interaction -- Monetary and Fiscal Cooperation -- The Closed Economy: Presence of a Deficit Target -- Fiscal Policy -- Monetary and Fiscal Interaction -- Monetary and Fiscal Cooperation --...

One of the most striking macroeconomic developments during the last three decades is the rise and persistence of large fiscal deficits in a number of countries. Despite recent major fiscal reforms around the world, many countries suffer from recurrent large fiscal imbalances that often reflect...

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of national fiscal policies in the European Union and in the European Monetary Union. Adopting a critical perspective, the book offers a deep insight into the consequences of the current strategy of national fiscal policies on economic activity