The literature on systematic fiscal policy and macroeconomic performance in industrialized countries is large but fragmented. Based on a broad overview of that literature, several patterns emerge. The empirical literature points toward strongly anticyclical policy, which consists of procyclical...

The literature on systematic fiscal policy and macroeconomic performance in industrialized countries is large but fragmented. Based on a broad overview of that literature, several patterns emerge. First, the empirical literature points toward strongly anticyclical policy, which consists of...

This paper investigates how tax revenue elasticities develop with respect to their tax base and analyses the specific impact of the business cycle. The main novelty of the paper is to use revenue data net of discretionary tax measures. Based on an EU country panel for the period 2001-13, we...

Nach der Bundestagswahl schlägt die Stunde der finanzpolitischen Wahrheit. Wer auch immer die nächste Bundesregierung stellt: Der Kassensturz nach der Wahl wird zeigen, dass kaum noch finanzpolitischer Handlungsspielraum besteht. Die öffentlichen Haushalte haben sich im Zuge der Rezession...