Stability through constraints: the impact of fiscal rules on autocratic survival

A growing literature has investigated the role that formal and informal economic institutions play for autocratic survival. However, this has, so far, ignored a type of institution grown in importance among both democracies non-democracies recent decades, namely, national fiscal rules. In article, we argue rules can affect survival but effect is time-dependent. The introduction stricter framework causes short-term retrenchment might increase uncertainty regime supporters about provision future patronage spoils. also improve long-term management and, thus, investor confidence performance long run. Consequently, stabilize regimes run not short Fixed-effect estimations on panel autocracies from 1987 to 2016 provide substantial evidence favour argument.