Leaders’ Impact on Public Spending Priorities: The Case of the German Laender
研究了1992-2008年德国各州州长的社会经济背景如何影响公共支出结构，发现来自贫困背景的州长更倾向于增加社会保障、教育、医疗等支出。
Summary We examine determinants of the composition of public expenditure in the G erman L aender (states) over the period 1992–2008, as the L aender exhibit a high degree of institutional and political homogeneity and are endowed with extensive fiscal competences. Our prime contribution is an investigation into how political leaders’ socioeconomic background influences public spending priorities. Applying sociological theory, we link preferences for the composition of public spending to social status. In contrast to approaches relying on political budget cycles or partisan theory, we find strong and theory‐consistent evidence that prime ministers tend to favour fiscal policies supporting the social class in which they are socialised. Governments led by prime ministers from a poor socioeconomic background spend significantly more on social security, education, health, infrastructure, and public safety.