Introduction
The economic system of states is a complex, multifaceted set of procedures and measures initiated by government and society in order to maintain the financial development or stability of the state. Among the multitude of descriptive facts, special attention should be paid to deficit spending, which characterizes the state of the economy. Admittedly, the term can be used not only to refer to states but also to private companies or individuals’ personal budgets: but it is from the perspective of government management that deficit spending is most threatening.
Describing the essence of the term, the concept of budgetary expenditure and revenue must be explained in the first place. When the government exchanges a manufactured product or commodity for money or equivalently valuable products, this should be called revenue (Kagan, 2021). In contrast, when the government spends finances on national projects or the purchase of foreign products, this constitutes a category of expenditure (Carroll, 2021). Deficit spending, then, should be viewed as a state in which government spending appears to be in excess of revenues. In such a state, the federal budget is said to be in deficit (Chen, 2021). Moreover, it should be noted that budget deficits are generally a natural state for states because governments have strong incentives to spend more finances than they receive: among these are stimulating economic growth, maintaining international reputation, and reducing unemployment. It seems clear that this concept is based on a Keynesian approach to economic management since states have a direct impact on the economic sphere of society.
As it follows, deficit spending is not an unambiguous fact for the state. The key advantages of such a state include the ability to manage the speed of recession through tax cuts, the prospect of increased investment, and overall economic growth. At the same time, deficit spending disciplines the government and forces it to make deliberate, precise expenditures on areas of development that were not previously funded, including support for the war. However, funding military power can also be seen as a severe disadvantage in this state of the economy. Other disadvantages of deficit spending include the potential for higher inflation if the government decides to eliminate deficits with the federal budget. Such a practice could be implemented through the issuance of new money by the Fed to buy government bonds to help private enterprises. On the other hand, the gap between expenditures and revenues could become so large that it would lead to a default. The states would be unable to manage the deficit, and the national currency would be devalued.
The Crowding-Out Effect
Among the adverse effects of deficit spending is the so-called crowding-out effect. Terminologically, this effect can be described as an exorbitant increase in government spending, which in turn leads to a decrease in private sector spending (Kenton, 2021). More specifically, in the case of severe deficits, the risk of rising interest rates increases, which is caused by an increase in the demand for money. As a result, the ability of businesses to borrow decreases, as does their investment potential. All of this combined leads to an economic downturn.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ambiguous nature of deficit spending should be emphasized. In fact, one cannot accurately state that such a condition has a negative or positive effect on the market. In the short run, tax cuts lead to higher aggregate demand, which initiates economic growth. Conversely, too much debt leads to a sharp increase in the tax burden or even a default. In the long run, deficits can stabilize the economy and maintain the legitimacy of political leaders. Nevertheless, deficit spending also reduces private investment and raises interest rates, making it more difficult for businesses to achieve economic prosperity.
References
Carroll, C. D. (2021). Consumption. Britannica. Web.
Chen, J. (2021). Deficit spending. Investopedia. Web.
Kagan, J. (2021). Income. Investopedia. Web.
Kenton, W. (2021). Crowding out effect. Investopedia. Web.