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Austerity and Anarchy: Budget Cuts and Social Unrest in Europe, 1919-2008

Author

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  • Voth, Hans-Joachim
  • Ponticelli, Jacopo
Abstract
Does fiscal consolidation lead to social unrest? Using cross-country evidence for the period 1919 to 2008, we examine the extent to which societies become unstable after budget cuts. The results show a clear correlation between fiscal retrenchment and instability. We test if the relationship simply reflects economic downturns, and conclude that this is not the case. While autocracies and democracies show a broadly similar responses to budget cuts, countries with more constraints on the executive are less likely to see unrest after austerity measures. Growing media penetration does not strengthen the effect of cut-backs on the level of unrest.

Suggested Citation

  • Voth, Hans-Joachim & Ponticelli, Jacopo, 2011. "Austerity and Anarchy: Budget Cuts and Social Unrest in Europe, 1919-2008," CEPR Discussion Papers 8513, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:8513
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unrest; Instability; Government deficits; Public expediture; Riots; Demonstrations; Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • H50 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - General
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General
    • N14 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: 1913-

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