When We Compare Fiscal Policies Over Time and Across Countries

When we compare fiscal policies over time and across countries, we find that government spending as a fraction of GDP

A) is much larger in the United States than in western Europe.
B) has followed similar growth patterns in all industrial nations.
C) is a function of fluctuations in the business cycle.
D) has fallen in all industrial countries since the 1970s.
E) is a poor reflection of a country's economic progress.