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The Government Spending Multiplier at the Zero Lower Bound: International Evidence from Historical Data

Author

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  • Klein, Mathias
  • Winkler, Roland
Abstract
Based on a large historical panel dataset, this paper provides robust evidence that the government spending multiplier is significantly higher when interest rates are at, or near, the zero lower bound. We estimate fiscal multipliers that are around 1.5 during zero lower bound episodes and significantly below unity outside of it. We show that the difference in multipliers is not driven by multipliers being higher during periods of economic slack.

Suggested Citation

  • Klein, Mathias & Winkler, Roland, 2018. "The Government Spending Multiplier at the Zero Lower Bound: International Evidence from Historical Data," VfS Annual Conference 2018 (Freiburg, Breisgau): Digital Economy 181524, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc18:181524
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    Cited by:

    1. Michele Fratianni & Federico Giri & Riccardo Lucchetti & Francesco Valentini, 2022. "Monetization, wars, and the Italian fiscal multiplier," Mo.Fi.R. Working Papers 176, Money and Finance Research group (Mo.Fi.R.) - Univ. Politecnica Marche - Dept. Economic and Social Sciences.
    2. Amendola, Adalgiso & Di Serio, Mario & Fragetta, Matteo & Melina, Giovanni, 2020. "The euro-area government spending multiplier at the effective lower bound," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    3. Max Breitenlechner & Martin Geiger & Mathias Klein, 2024. "The Fiscal Channel of Monetary Policy," Working Papers 2024-07, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, Universität Innsbruck.
    4. Cheng-wei Chang & Ting-wei Lai, 2024. "Government spending and monopolistic competition with heterogeneous firm productivity," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 141(2), pages 101-135, March.
    5. Di Serio, Mario & Fragetta, Matteo & Melina, Giovanni, 2021. "The impact of r-g on Euro-Area government spending multipliers," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    6. Klein, Mathias & Polattimur, Hamza & Winkler, Roland, 2022. "Fiscal spending multipliers over the household leverage cycle," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    7. Goemans, Pascal, 2023. "The impact of public consumption and investment in the euro area during periods of high and normal uncertainty," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    8. Wilhelm, Stefan, 2023. "Efficiency of short-time work schemes and the role of monetary policy," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Dubravko Mihaljek, 2021. "Interactions between fiscal and monetary policies: a brief history of a long relationship," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 45(4), pages 419-432.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Government spending multiplier; zero lower bound; local projections;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E65 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Studies of Particular Policy Episodes

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