March 27, 2017/IMF

On March 29, 2017, the Brookings Institution will host a seminar and presentation of a new book by staff of International Monetary Fund (IMF), entitled “Fiscal Politics”.

The book analyzes how politics influence economic outcomes through various channels, including structural reforms and monetary and fiscal policies: The proximity to elections can affect the mix of government’s spending plans; Political divisions could lead to larger fiscal deficits and public debt; Political ideology can have an influence on the design of tax and expenditure policies. With politics affecting fiscal outcomes, the issue that arises is whether fiscal rules and institutions can make a difference.

Speakers:       Vitor Gaspar, Director, IMF Fiscal Affairs Department

                        Sanjeev Gupta, Deputy Director, IMF Fiscal Affairs Department

Kemal Dervis, Vice President, Brookings

Carol Graham, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Brookings

Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan, Professor of Economics, University of Maryland

Randall Henning, Professor, American University.

When:             Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Washington, DC time

Where:           The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium

1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W

Washington, DC  20036

Registration:  Journalists interested in participating should register here.

Document:     Further details about the book “Fiscal Politics”, including an excerpt, are available here.