Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/36204 
Year of Publication: 
2009
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 4310
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper analyzes the effectiveness of the tax and transfer systems in the European Union and the US to act as an automatic stabilizer in the current economic crisis. We find that automatic stabilizers absorb 38 per cent of a proportional income shock in the EU, compared to 32 per cent in the US. In the case of an unemployment shock 48 per cent of the shock are absorbed in the EU, compared to 34 per cent in the US. This cushioning of disposable income leads to a demand stabilization of 23 to 32 per cent in the EU and 19 per cent in the US. There is large heterogeneity within the EU. Automatic stabilizers in Eastern and Southern Europe are much lower than in Central and Northern European countries. We also investigate whether countries with weak automatic stabilizers have enacted larger fiscal stimulus programs. We find no evidence supporting this view.
Subjects: 
Automatic stabilization
economic crisis
liquidity constraints
fiscal stimulus
JEL: 
E32
E63
H2
H31
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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