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Maximum Sustainable Government Debt In The Perpetual Youth Model

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  • Neil Rankin

Abstract

type="main"> The overlapping-generations model of Blanchard, based on a constant probability of death, is used to study the maximum level of government debt consistent with the existence of a steady state equilibrium. In both a small open and a closed economy it is shown that maximum sustainable debt robustly occurs where the consumption of individual households reaches zero, the limit of its feasible range. Taxation absorbs all of the household's labour income here. In a closed economy, at this point the real interest rate also hits a ‘ceiling’ given by a simple combination of preference parameters and the death probability.

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  • Neil Rankin, 2014. "Maximum Sustainable Government Debt In The Perpetual Youth Model," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(3), pages 217-230, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:buecrs:v:66:y:2014:i:3:p:217-230
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/j.1467-8586.2012.00475.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Blanchard, Olivier J, 1985. "Debt, Deficits, and Finite Horizons," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(2), pages 223-247, April.
    2. B. Douglas Bernheim, 1987. "Ricardian Equivalence: An Evaluation of Theory and Evidence," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 1987, Volume 2, pages 263-316, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Karl Farmer & Jacopo Zotti, 2010. "Sustainable government debt in a two-good, two-country overlapping generations model," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 57(3), pages 289-316, September.
    4. Karl Farmer & Jacopo Zotti, 2010. "Sustainable Government Debt in a Two-Country Overlapping Generations’ Model," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 16(1), pages 124-125, February.
    5. Neil Rankin & Barbara Roffia, 2003. "Maximum Sustainable Government Debt in the Overlapping Generations Model," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 71(3), pages 217-241, June.
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    7. Menahem E. Yaari, 1965. "Uncertain Lifetime, Life Insurance, and the Theory of the Consumer," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 32(2), pages 137-150.
    8. Eric M. Engen & R. Glenn Hubbard, 2005. "Federal Government Debt and Interest Rates," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2004, Volume 19, pages 83-160, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    10. Yakita, Akira, 2008. "Sustainability of public debt, public capital formation, and endogenous growth in an overlapping generations setting," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(3-4), pages 897-914, April.
    11. Bayoumi, Tamim & Sgherri, Silvia, 2006. "Mr Ricardo's Great Adventure: Estimating Fiscal Multipliers in a Truly Intertemporal Model," CEPR Discussion Papers 5839, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    Cited by:

    1. Donal Smith, 2015. "Collateral Constraints and the Interest Rate," Discussion Papers 15/22, Department of Economics, University of York.
    2. Takaaki Morimoto & Yuta Nakabo & Ken Tabata, 2016. "Population Aging, Fiscal Sustainability and PAYG Pension Reform," Discussion Paper Series 140, School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University, revised Feb 2016.
    3. Fábio Gomes & Lourenço Paz, 2015. "Large estimates of the elasticity of intertemporal substitution: is it the aggregate return series or the instrument list?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(1), pages 168-181.
    4. Donal Smith, 2020. "Collateral Constraints and the Interest Rate," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 67(2), pages 137-165, May.

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