Theory suggests that government should smooth taxes and spending, and adjustments in the level of debt should be gradual. Fiscal rules should therefore relate to deficits rather than debt. Rules should also reflect constraints on monetary policy. In normal times, rules should reflect political and institutional considerations, such as the potential for ‘deficit bias’, and the effectiveness of any fiscal council. For example, governments without a history of bias might target deficits five years ahead. However, if interest rates hit the zero lower bound, fiscal and monetary policy coordination is required, and here fiscal councils can also have an important role."> Theory suggests that government should smooth taxes and spending, and adjustments in the level of debt should be gradual. Fiscal rules should therefore relate to deficits rather than debt. Rules should also reflect constraints on monetary policy. In normal times, rules should reflect political and institutional considerations, such as the potential for ‘deficit bias’, and the effectiveness of any fiscal council. For example, governments without a history of bias might target deficits five years ahead. However, if interest rates hit the zero lower bound, fiscal and monetary policy coordination is required, and here fiscal councils can also have an important role."> Theory suggests that government should smooth taxes and spending, and adjustments in the level of debt should be gradual. Fiscal rules should therefore relate to deficits rathe">
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Issues in the Design of Fiscal Policy Rules

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  • Jonathan Portes
  • Simon Wren-Lewis
Abstract
type="main"> Theory suggests that government should smooth taxes and spending, and adjustments in the level of debt should be gradual. Fiscal rules should therefore relate to deficits rather than debt. Rules should also reflect constraints on monetary policy. In normal times, rules should reflect political and institutional considerations, such as the potential for ‘deficit bias’, and the effectiveness of any fiscal council. For example, governments without a history of bias might target deficits five years ahead. However, if interest rates hit the zero lower bound, fiscal and monetary policy coordination is required, and here fiscal councils can also have an important role.

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  • Jonathan Portes & Simon Wren-Lewis, 2015. "Issues in the Design of Fiscal Policy Rules," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 83, pages 56-86, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:manchs:v:83:y:2015:i::p:56-86
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    2. Schmitt-Grohe, Stephanie & Uribe, Martin, 2007. "Optimal simple and implementable monetary and fiscal rules," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(6), pages 1702-1725, September.
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    4. Tatiana Kirsanova & Campbell Leith & Simon Wren‐Lewis, 2009. "Monetary and Fiscal Policy Interaction: The Current Consensus Assignment in the Light of Recent Developments," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(541), pages 482-496, November.
    5. Lars Calmfors & Simon Wren-Lewis, 2011. "What should fiscal councils do? [Fiscal policy when monetary policy is tied to the mast]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 26(68), pages 649-695.
    6. Tatiana Kirsanova & Mathan Satchi & David Vines & Simon Wren‐Lewis, 2007. "Optimal Fiscal Policy Rules in a Monetary Union," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 39(7), pages 1759-1784, October.
    7. Tatiana Kirsanova & Simon Wren‐Lewis, 2012. "Optimal Fiscal Feedback on Debt in an Economy with Nominal Rigidities," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 122(559), pages 238-264, March.
    8. Pierpaolo Benigno & Michael Woodford, 2004. "Optimal Monetary and Fiscal Policy: A Linear-Quadratic Approach," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2003, Volume 18, pages 271-364, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    12. Friedman, Milton, 1993. "The "Plucking Model" of Business Fluctuations Revisited," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 31(2), pages 171-177, April.
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    14. Gauti B. Eggertsson & Michael Woodford, 2006. "Optimal Monetary and Fiscal Policy in a Liquidity Trap," NBER Chapters, in: NBER International Seminar on Macroeconomics 2004, pages 75-144, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Simon Wren-Lewis, 2011. "Lessons From Failure: Fiscal Policy, Indulgence And Ideology," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 217(1), pages 31-46, July.
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    17. Simon Wren-Lewis, 2010. "Macroeconomic policy in light of the credit crunch: the return of counter-cyclical fiscal policy?," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 26(1), pages 71-86, Spring.
    18. Michael Woodford, 2012. "Methods of policy accommodation at the interest-rate lower bound," Proceedings - Economic Policy Symposium - Jackson Hole, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, pages 185-288.
    19. Mr. Michael Kell, 2001. "An Assessment of Fiscal Rules in the United Kingdom," IMF Working Papers 2001/091, International Monetary Fund.
    20. Simon Wren-Lewis, 2013. "Macroeconomic Stabilisation in the Eurozone: Lessons from Failure," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 4, pages 66-73, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Oliver Landmann, 2018. "On the Logic of Fiscal Policy Coordination in a Monetary Union," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 69-87, February.
    2. J.W. Mason & Arjun Jayadev, 2015. "Lost in Fiscal Space: Some Simple Analytics of Macroeconomic Policy in the Spirit of Tinbergen, Wicksell and Lerner," Working Papers 2015_05, University of Massachusetts Boston, Economics Department.
    3. Vítor Constâncio, 2020. "The Return of Fiscal Policy and the Euro Area Fiscal Rule," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 62(3), pages 358-372, September.
    4. Hilde C. Bjørnland & Leif Anders Thorsrud, 2019. "Commodity prices and fiscal policy design: Procyclical despite a rule," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 161-180, March.
    5. Hans Pitlik & Michael Klien & Stefan Schiman-Vukan, 2017. "Stabilitätskonforme Berücksichtigung nachhaltiger öffentlicher Investitionen," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 60595, August.
    6. Ryota Nakatani, 2021. "Fiscal Rules for Natural Disaster- and Climate Change-Prone Small States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-26, March.
    7. Ringa Raudla & James W. Douglas & Muiris MacCarthaigh, 2022. "Medium‐term expenditure frameworks: Credible instrument or mirage?," Public Budgeting & Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(3), pages 71-92, September.
    8. Soon Ryoo & Peter Skott, 2017. "Fiscal and Monetary Policy Rules in an Unstable Economy," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(3), pages 500-548, July.
    9. Vítor Constâncio, 2020. "The return of fiscal policy and the euro area fiscal rule," Working Papers REM 2020/0127, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    10. Kuusi Tero, 2018. "Output Gap Uncertainty and the Optimal Fiscal Policy in the EU," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 69(2), pages 111-146, August.
    11. Debrun, Xavier & Jonung, Lars, 2019. "Under threat: Rules-based fiscal policy and how to preserve it," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 142-157.
    12. Tomomi Miyazaki, 2023. "Comment on “Recursive expectations approach in policymaking” by Professor Keiichiro Kobayashi," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 399-402, August.
    13. Ringa Raudla & James W. Douglas, 2021. "Structural Budget Balance as a Fiscal Rule in the European Union—Good, Bad, or Ugly?," Public Budgeting & Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 121-141, March.
    14. Ludovit Ódor & Gábor P. Kiss, 2014. "Back to basics – good indicators for good fiscal institutions!," Financial and Economic Review, Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Central Bank of Hungary), vol. 13(4), pages 125-151.
    15. Vítor Constâncio, 0. "The Return of Fiscal Policy and the Euro Area Fiscal Rule," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 0, pages 1-15.
    16. Kunzmann Vanessa, 2022. "Effects of Cross Country Fiscal Interdependence on Multipliers within a Monetary Union," Working Papers 216, Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics (BGPE).
    17. Marta Lopresto & Garry Young, 2019. "Measuring the Cycle and Structural Shocks," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 50(1), pages 103-117.
    18. Chen, Haixia & Le, Vo Phuong Mai & Meenagh, David & Minford, Patrick, 2023. "UK Monetary Policy in An Estimated DSGE Model with State-Dependent Price and Wage Contracts," Cardiff Economics Working Papers E2023/22, Cardiff University, Cardiff Business School, Economics Section.
    19. Kuusi, Tero, 2018. "Does the structural budget balance guide fiscal policy pro-cyclically? Evidence from the Finnish Great Depression of the 1990s," MPRA Paper 84829, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Nkrumah, Kwabena Meneabe, 2018. "Essays In Fiscal Policy And State Dependence Fiscal Policy Innovations Using A New Econometric Approach," MPRA Paper 98689, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    21. Bai, Yuting & Leeper, Eric M., 2017. "Fiscal stabilization vs. passivity," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 105-108.
    22. Paulo Vieira & Celsa Machado & Ana Paula Ribeiro, 2016. "Optimal Fiscal Simple Rules for Small and Large Countries of a Monetary Union," EcoMod2016 9685, EcoMod.
    23. Musgrave, Ralph S., 2014. "The Solution is Full Reserve / 100% Reserve Banking," MPRA Paper 57955, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    24. Jalal Qanas & Malcom Sawyer, 2019. "Macroeconomics and natural rates: some reflections on Pasinetti’s fair rate of interest," Bulletin of Political Economy, Bulletin of Political Economy, vol. 13(2), pages 189-208, December.

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    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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