Public debt

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A country's national debt - also known as its public debt - is a matter of economic and political significance. It has often been the subject of controversy, and some have considered it to have moral significance.

Definition

The OECD's broad definition of public debt as "the external obligations of the government and public sector "[1] is in general use, but national definitions [2] differ in detail [3]and produce figures that may not be comparable. The European Union's definition embodied in its Stability and Growth Pact[4] of "General Government Gross Debt"[5] differs in detail from the complete OECD definition.

Overview

Sources of debt

International comparisons

Economic consequences

History

Rules

References