Public Finance: Government Budgets, Deficits & Debt Sustainability
Revenue and spending as % of GDP, primary vs overall balance, debt dynamics with r and g, the debt-stabilising primary surplus, progressive tax brackets, tax elasticity forecasts, social NPV and a fiscal rules check: 8 hands-on labs on one fictional country.
The first lesson is free — no account needed.
About this course
A public finance course that follows one fictional country's budget through eight spreadsheet labs, for economics and public policy students, budget analysts and anyone who wants to check a debt headline. You express revenue and spending as a share of GDP, split the overall budget balance into the primary balance and interest, project the debt ratio for ten years with the debt-dynamics equation and the snowball effect of r and g, find the primary surplus that keeps debt stable, calculate income tax with a progressive bracket table and compare marginal and average rates, measure tax buoyancy and elasticity for a revenue forecast, appraise a rail upgrade with a social NPV and benefit-cost ratio and check the outturn against the budget and a deficit rule. Illustrative figures for a fictional country, educational only, not policy advice. The first lab is free.
Lessons
- Government Revenue & Spending by Category, as % of GDPFree
- Primary vs Overall Budget Balance Pro
- Debt Dynamics: d(t) = d(t−1)·(1+r)/(1+g) − pb Pro
- The Debt-Stabilising Primary Surplus Pro
- Progressive Income Tax: Marginal vs Average Rates with a Bracket Table Pro
- Tax Buoyancy, Tax Elasticity & a Revenue Forecast Pro
- Public Investment Appraisal: Social NPV & the Discount Rate Pro
- Budget Variance Analysis & a Fiscal Rules Check Pro