Public sector financial management and democracy quality: The role of the accounting systems

Abstract

Changes in accounting frameworks, such as those based on the adoption of accrual-accounting systems or the implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), are considered to be an important feature of public-sector financial management practices and reforms. Previous studies have largely investigated the effects of these reforms on transparency and accountability, also taking into account the dimension of the participation of citizens. This study aims to examine the effects of public-sector financial management practices regarding the quality of democracy. It focuses on the role of the accounting systems in use, offering an international view and comparative analysis of IPSAS and accrual-basis system adoption. By using a sample of 33 OECD countries between 2010 and 2014, the findings which emerge from the analysis suggest that accrual-basis accounting has proven not to be sufficient for a good democracy quality; however, they indicate that IPSAS implementation improves the democracy quality, mainly due to equality and control principles.