Public Spending and Government Performance in Europe and Asia: Tigers Today and in the Future

In this study, I will look at the spending role of government and the outcomes of government activity in Europe and Asia. Public spending and performance patterns differ hugely across countries. Asian “tigers” and some advanced countries show low public spending coupled with strong performance indicators. Central and Eastern European “tiger” countries are also catching up strongly while featuring leaner and productive governments. Most advanced European Union (EU) countries feature higher spending with divergent performance. Several of the remaining European and Asian emerging economies have the potential to become the economic “tigers” of the future.