In this paper we analyse counter-cyclical fiscal policy within the context of a microfounded analysis of business-cycle stabilization. We show that tax and spending instruments can have a useful counter-cyclical role, even after allowing for the distortionary nature of the instruments and the...

We analyse the stability of countries within a monetary union in the face of asymmetric shocks, using a simple but widely applicable model. We show that members of the union may be subject to severe cycles following asymmetric shocks if there is a significant backward looking element in...