Background
The Public Expenditure Survey Committee (PESC) was an interdepartmental body within the UK government responsible for reviewing and scrutinizing government expenditure plans. It played a critical role in formulating the Public Expenditure White Paper, a key document that provided insights into the government’s fiscal strategy and priorities.
Historical Context
Established in response to the need for greater oversight and planning of public expenditure, the PESC undertook reviews of government spending both for the upcoming financial year and for projections extending over the subsequent four years. Despite its significant role, the PESC ceased operation as a working committee in 1984.
Definitions and Concepts
- Public Expenditure: The spending made by the government of a nation to fulfill its functions, such as defense, education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
- Public Expenditure White Paper: A comprehensive document outlining the government’s planned expenditure, usually presented to the parliament annually.
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economists focus on the self-regulating nature of markets with limited government intervention, which contrasts with the role of structured bodies like the PESC.
Neoclassical Economics
Neoclassical frameworks emphasize efficient allocation and accountability, aligning well with the goals of the PESC in ensuring effective public expenditure.
Keynesian Economics
This perspective underscores the importance of government spending in managing economic cycles, highlighting the relevance of bodies like the PESC in strategic fiscal planning.
Marxian Economics
Marxian analysis might critique the PESC as a tool to manage capitalist interests through state mechanisms.
Institutional Economics
From this viewpoint, the PESC can be seen as an important institution that shapes and is shaped by formal and informal rules governing public expenditure.
Behavioral Economics
Behavioral economists might explore how PESC’s guidelines could influence behavior within government departments in budgeting and spending.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keynesian economists would recognize committees like the PESC for their roles in active government intervention and fiscal planning to maintain economic stability.
Austrian Economics
Austrian economics, which usually advocates for minimal governmental intervention, might criticize the intricacies and bureaucratic nature of mechanisms like the PESC.
Development Economics
In development contexts, a body like the PESC would be significant in ensuring that public spending targets poverty reduction and sustainable growth.
Monetarism
Monetarist theories, focusing on controlling monetary supply, would consider the PESC’s impact on aligning public expenditure with broader fiscal policies.
Comparative Analysis
Comparing the PESC’s function to similar bodies globally reveals differing approaches to public expenditure oversight. For instance, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in the United States also administers the review of governmental spending but with a structure and autonomy distinct from the PESC.
Case Studies
- PESC’s Impact on the 1970s Fiscal Policies
- Reorganization and Dissolution of the PESC in 1984
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “Public Expenditure: Policy and Practice” by Maurice Wright
- “Government Budgeting and Expenditure Management” by Salvatore Schiavo-Campo
- “The Economics of Public Spending” edited by David Miles, Gareth Myles, and Ian Preston
Related Terms with Definitions
- Budget Deficit: The shortfall when a government’s expenditures exceed its receipts.
- Fiscal Policy: The use of government revenue collection and expenditure to influence the economy.
- Government Accountability Office (GAO): A US body similar in oversight to the UK’s PESC, tasked with auditing and evaluating government expenditures.
