But the growth fillip from public sector infrastructure spending can only be modest. Increasing infrastructure spending by a quarter, which would represent a huge administrative effort, would lift GDP growth by just 0.4 percentage points.

Saudi Arabia is boosting its spending on social and infrastructure investments substantially, as well as expanding oil sector capacity.

Focusing on agriculture, health, infrastructure and environment, the study recommends streamlining and reorienting government spending on Chernobyl related efforts.

India s infrastructure problems are legendary, with airports and railroads that are comically inadequate. However, aside from a few countries including China, of course, but also Spain low infrastructure spending is epidemic.

Health spending Health spending Spending

Municipalities, often owing to corruption or poor management, are unable or unwilling to impose rigorous planning regulations. Infrastructure spending is either inadequate or poorly targeted.

The international community must collectively call on States to divert such military spending to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and to strengthening the development infrastructure.

That is why quantitative easing should be run in conjunction with a eurozone wide investment program designed to modernize the creaking infrastructure of eastern and southern Europe. Capital spending by governments, unlike current spending, can be self financing through user charges.

Governments, too, should think strategically about shifting their spending away from tangible infrastructure like roads and buildings, and toward intangibles like education and research and development.

From a macroeconomic perspective, investing in infrastructure is a twofer It strengthens productivity and competitiveness in the long run and boosts demand and creates jobs in the short run. According to the Congressional Budget Office, infrastructure spending is one of the most cost effective forms of federal government spending in terms of the number of jobs created per dollar allocated.

Likewise, Congress failed to approve Obama s call for 90 billion in additional infrastructure spending, which would have supported about 400,000 jobs, despite the fact that the US has at least 1.1 trillion in unfunded infrastructure needs. Moreover, infrastructure investment not only creates jobs in the near term, but also promotes long term competitiveness.

Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure and discipline.

For example, the proposed budget slashes funding for cross border infrastructure projects, including the expansion of high speed broadband networks into rural areas and the development of transport and energy infrastructure. But the EU can add considerable value by coordinating transnational infrastructure projects, thereby achieving economies of scale and avoiding a duplication of national spending.

Low interest rates, the dollar s continuing role as the world s main reserve currency, and the capacity of the public sector to increase spending make the case for higher infrastructure spending compelling. In the twentieth century, the US government spent billions of dollars to rebuild the European economy.

In particular, the US is underinvesting in three major areas that help countries to create and retain high wage jobs skills and training, infrastructure, and research and development. Spending in these areas accounts for less than 10 of US government spending, and this share has been declining over time.

Spending rate

Social spending

Spending it?

(f) Military spending, and the extent to which spending on external security can be translated into spending on social security .

Another factor holding back recovery has been weak growth in spending on goods and services by both state and local governments, and more recently by the federal government. Indeed, since the recession s onset, state and local governments have cut nearly 600,000 jobs and reduced spending for infrastructure projects by 20 .

The problem is that more than half of such spending is on education, science and technology, and infrastructure the areas that Obama had just argued should be strengthened. After telling Americans how important government investment is for modern growth, he promised to freeze that spending for the next five years!

But to realize this economic and social potential, African leaders must combat corruption. They must make the management of their utilities more transparent, strengthen regulations, and increase public spending on energy infrastructure.

Public spending patterns

Obama has dramatically increased spending. He would likely continue many of his temporary programs (as Milton Friedman once observed, There is nothing so permanent as a temporary government program. ) double down on having government pick winners and losers in green energy expand spending on education and infrastructure and substantially reduce defense expenditures.

He also promises an immediate 5 cut in non defense discretionary spending in 2013, on top of the huge cuts already scheduled to take effect. And he has ruled out additional temporary fiscal measures aimed at job creation, like President Barack Obama s proposals for additional grants to states and additional infrastructure spending.

(a) Engineering infrastructure products, including economic infrastructure roads, bridges, ports, energy infrastructure, water supply and sanitation systems government infrastructure (office buildings, customs facilities, barracks) social infrastructure (education and health services infrastructure, community buildings)

So India s medium term growth potential lies well below that of China in recent decades. A significant boost in infrastructure spending and policy reforms can make a difference, but it cannot close the gap.

It perpetuates deficit spending.

State spending on health

PUBLIC SPENDING ON HEALTH

A little spending money.

At just over 10 of GDP, the share of capital spending is well below the peak of nearly 13 in 2000. But capital spending must exceed that peak if US businesses are to be equipped with state of the art capacity, technology, and private infrastructure that will enable them to recapture market share at home and abroad.

To avoid this outcome, Germany needs to adopt policies fiscal stimulus, higher spending on infrastructure and public investment, and more rapid wage growth that would boost domestic spending and reduce the country s external surplus. Unless, and until, Germany moves in this direction, no one should bet the farm on a more robust and sustained eurozone recovery.

Policymakers should pair fiscal measures to ameliorate the jobs and investment deficits now with a multi year plan to reduce the long run fiscal deficit gradually. This long run plan should increase spending on education, infrastructure, and research, while curbing future growth in health care spending through the cost containment mechanisms contained in Obama s health reform legislation.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Infrastructure

infrastructure

It's the same. We need infrastructure, infrastructure and discipline.

But we're spending 36 percent.

Just look at this spending.

Are they spending the night?