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Distinguished from the Macroblog at delong.typepad.com and from twitter at @delong...
Oct 3 '12
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“IMF: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: 100 Years of Dealing with Public Debt Overhangs: Throughout the past century, numerous advanced economies have faced public debt burdens as high, or higher, than those prevailing today. They responded with a wide variety of policy approaches. We analyze these experiences to draw lessons for today and reach three main conclusions. First, successful debt reduc- tion requires fiscal consolidation and a policy mix
that supports growth. Key elements of this policy mix are measures that address structural weaknesses in the economy and supportive monetary policy. Second, fiscal consolidation must emphasize persistent, structural reforms to public finances over temporary or short-lived fiscal measures. In this respect, fiscal institutions can help lock in any gains. Third, reducing public debt takes time, especially in the context of a weak external environment.”
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