The potential importance of fiscal policy in influencing inflation has recently been highlighted, following Woodford (1995), under the heading of the ‘Fiscal Theory of the Price Level’ (FTPL). Applications of this theory to open economies operating under flexible exchange rates has suggested...

In this paper, I shall discuss in turn: the views of Hawtrey and Friedman on the powers of monetary and fiscal policy, and contrast them with those of Douglas and Director to which Tavlas draws attention; the role of monetary factors in causing and exacerbating the Great Contraction of...

In this paper, the Spanish fiscal policy sustainability is tested for the period 1964-1996. The theoretical framework used in this paper draws from Quintos (1995) where a distinction between weak and strong conditions for deficit sustainability is pointed out. From an empirical point of view,...

Using annual data from 14 European Union countries, plus Canada, Japan and the United States, we evaluate the macroeconomic effects of public and private investment through VAR analysis. From impulse response functions, we are able to assess the extent of crowding-in or crowding-out of both...

This paper studies stabilisation policies in a multi-country currency union of small open economies. It abstracts from key factors favouring currency union formation, such as reduced transaction costs and enhanced credibility, which are exogenous to the factors studied here. Demand-side shocks...

We study the prospective operation of the Stability Pact by stochastic simulation. Using a forward-looking multi-country macroeconometric model, NiGEM, comprising individual blocks for 10 Euroland economies, the Pact's provisions are formalized in detail, and alternative monetary and fiscal...

This paper analyses two features of concern to policy-makers in the countries of the prospective European Monetary Union: The solvency of their governments finances; and the accuracy of fiscal forecasts.

This paper characterises rules-based fiscal policy setting. Basically, we translate a standard monetary policy rule into a simple fiscal policy rule. We then infer on fiscal policymakers' reaction coefficients by testing the rule with GMM. Interaction is also tested directly by the inclusion of...