Automatic stabilizers are economic programs that are designed to help reduce the severity of recessions, or periods of sustained economic downturns. They are considered a crucial tool by Keynesian economists for countering the negative impacts of the business cycle. Automatic stabilizers are created through the use of various government policies to automatically adjust taxation and transfer payments in order to stabilize consumer incomes, consumption, and business spending.

Taxation provides a common example of an automatic stabilizer. Tax rates are typically adjusted during economic booms to increase government revenue and encourage consumer spending, while rate decreases are enacted during economic contractions to reduce consumer taxes and increase consumer disposable income, resulting in increased consumption and business spending. Similarly, transfer payments, such as unemployment benefits, are provided to individuals during times of economic contraction. This provides an influx of money into the economy and increases consumer spending, which can help to stabilize the economy.

Other examples of automatic stabilizers can include public investments in infrastructure or government subsidies for renewable energy projects, as spending on these projects can help to shore up employment and investment during economic slumps. Government spending on training and retraining programs can also help to stabilize employment and incomes, providing a much needed source of income in times of recession.

Though automatic stabilizers can be effective in mitigating some of the economic impacts of the business cycle, their effectiveness can be further augmented through the use of one-time or temporary stimulus policies. These types of policies are often used by governments in response to more acute or prolonged economic downturns, providing an additional source of economic stimulus. For example, such policies can include one-time incentive payments to businesses or consumers, tax cuts, or government spending on infrastructure projects.

Overall, automatic stabilizers are a type of fiscal policy which is designed to help reduce the severity of recessions through the automatic adjustment of taxation and transfer payments. They are considered to be key tools of Keynesian economics in the fight against economic downturns, and are often supplemented by one-time or temporary stimulus policies in the event of particularly severe recessionary periods.