In this paper we examine the relationship between public debt and economic growth in a large historical panel dataset of 17 OECD economics over the period 1870 - 2016. We do not provide evidence for a statistically significant and robust relationship between government debt and growth. While our...

In this present paper, we examine the relationship between public debt and economic growth in a large historical panel dataset of 17 OECD economics over the period from 1870 to 2016. In contrast, the relevant literature focuses on the postWW-II period. Several empirical studies provide evidence...

The Swiss debt brake is a fiscal rule at central government level which aims at stabilizing debt. However, business cycle fluctuations are also accounted for. This paper discusses criticism of the debt brake that it cannot feasibly simultaneously achieve either anti-cyclical or sustainable...