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  5. The Political Economy of the Budget Surplus in the United States

Journal of Economic Perspectives

ISSN 0895-3309 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7965 (Online)

The Political Economy of the Budget Surplus in the United States

  • Alberto Alesina
Journal of Economic Perspectives
vol. 14, no. 3, Summer 2000
(pp. 3–19)
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Abstract

Current surpluses in the U.S. have been achieved by a combination of a strong economy, low interest rates, and sharp cuts in defense spending. These surpluses follow a period (the 1980s) of rather exceptional budget deficit. This paper investigates the origin, size, and expected future patterns of the U.S. budget balance. It discusses how different political forces may generate alternative fiscal scenarios for the U.S. in the next decade.

Citation

Alesina, Alberto. 2000. "The Political Economy of the Budget Surplus in the United States." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14 (3): 3–19. DOI: 10.1257/jep.14.3.3

JEL Classification

  • E62 Fiscal Policy
  • H61 National Budget; Budget Systems
  • P16 Capitalist Systems: Political Economy
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