Fiscal Policy Learning from Crisis: Comparative Analysis of the Baltic Countries |
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| Authors: | Ringa Raudla Aleksandrs Cepilovs Vytautas Kuok?tis Rainer Kattel |
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| Institution: | 1. Public Finance and Governance, Ragnar Nurkse School of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia;2. Ragnar Nurkse School of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia;3. Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania |
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| Abstract: | The experience of a major crisis is often expected to lead to policy learning but the empirical evidence about this is limited. The goal of the paper is to explore comparatively whether the crisis of 2008–2010 has led to fiscal policy learning by civil servants in the three Baltic countries. Despite some differences in the crisis experience, the finance ministry officials in all three countries have identified the same lesson from the crisis: fiscal policy should be counter-cyclical and help to stabilize the economy. The paper also discusses how various factors have influenced policy learning, including the acknowledgment of failure, blame shifting, and analytical tractability. |
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| Keywords: | policy learning fiscal policy crisis policy bureaucracy comparative analysis |
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