Struktura veřejných výdajů a Ekonomický růst: Případ Itálie

This thesis examines the relationship between public expenditure composition and economic growth, with a specific focus on Italy. The analysis is motivated by the observation that Italy has experienced persistently weak long-term economic growth and maintained a relatively high level of public expenditure, raising the question of whether the structure of public spending may constrain economic performance. The thesis adopts a comparative and structural approach, focusing on selected categories of public expenditure identified in the literature as growth-enhancing, namely public investment, education expenditure, and research and development, while also considering the role of current expenditure as a potential constraint on resource allocation. The empirical analysis compares Italy with selected European economies (Spain, Portugal, and France) using aggregated macroeconomic data over the period 2000–2023. The results suggest that Italy’s public expenditure structure differs systematically from that of relatively higher-growth economies, particularly through persistently lower levels of public investment and a relatively high and rigid share of current expenditure, while differences in education and research and development expenditure do not provide equally clear patterns in relation to economic performance. The results should be interpreted as a structural comparison rather than as evidence of a direct causal relationship.