- 5 Marks
Question
Deficit financing is the budgetary situation where government expenditure is higher than government revenue. It is a practice adopted for financing the excess expenditure with external funding. Most governments both in the developed and developing world are having deficit budgets, and these deficits are often financed through borrowing.
Required:
State FIVE (5) conditions that would make it necessary for a government to support its budget through deficit financing. (5 marks)
Answer
Conditions necessary for budget deficit financing:
- During a Period of Depression: Deficit financing is important when private sector activities and traditional monetary policies are inadequate in restoring economic stability. It injects funds to reduce under-utilization of resources and increase labor and capital deployment through additional spending.
- During Wars: Governments may raise additional resources to finance wars or conflicts, although this could have inflationary consequences.
- During Economic Development: Developing countries often use deficit financing to compensate for low voluntary investment and spur rapid economic development to break the cycle of poverty.
- Ineffective Financial Management: Poor management of budgetary projects can lead to deficits that require loans or aid to cover ineffective programs.
- Weak Expenditure Control and Monitoring: Unpredictable economic and social conditions may cause governments to incur expenditures beyond the budget, resulting in excess spending that necessitates deficit financing.
- Low Revenue Mobilization: Inadequate tax revenue due to a narrow tax base can lead to a need for deficit financing to cover government obligations.
- Political Pressure: Political promises that are not budgeted for can lead to unplanned expenditures that require deficit financing to maintain political integrity.
- Infrastructural Development: Financing infrastructure projects often requires deficit financing to meet development goals.
- Tags: Budget Deficit, Deficit Financing, Fiscal Policy, Government Borrowing
- Level: Level 2
- Topic: Overview of the Ghanaian Tax System and Fiscal Policy
- Series: AUG 2022
- Uploader: Theophilus