Keynes's theory on fiscal expenditure showed that public expenditure could boost the economy many times more than the expenditure in times of high unemployment. (multiplier)

However, Keynes's theories have been misrepresented to justify vast spending even when the economy is not in trouble. Keynes made it very clear that in times of low unemployment when the economy was strong, the budget should be in surplus.

Milton Friedman later showed that as unemployment approaches full employment (4%) that the multiplier shrinks as new public employees are taken from the pool of private employees, and increased public expenditure simply boosts inflation.