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Inequality and public debt: A positive analysis

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  • Ryo Arawatari
  • Tetsuo Ono

Abstract

This study extends the multi-country, politico-economic model of fiscal policy developed by Song, Storesletten, and Zilibotti (2012) to incorporate wage inequality within each country. In this extended framework, we present conflict within and across generations over fiscal policy and show that a low-inequality country realizes tight fiscal policy with low public debt accumulation, whereas a high-inequality country experiences loose fiscal policy with high public debt accumulation. This model prediction is consistent with empirical evidence from OECD countries for the past three decades.
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  • Ryo Arawatari & Tetsuo Ono, 2017. "Inequality and public debt: A positive analysis," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(5), pages 1155-1173, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:reviec:v:25:y:2017:i:5:p:1155-1173
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    2. Jean-Louis Combes & Alexandru Minea & Cezara Vinturis & Pegdéwendé Nestor Sawadogo, 2019. "Can fiscal rules curb income inequality? Evidence from developing countries," Working Papers halshs-02423126, HAL.
    3. Yuki Uchida & Tetsuo Ono, 2024. "Generational Distribution of Fiscal Burdens: A Positive Analysis," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 65(1), pages 393-430, February.
    4. Svavarsdottir, Gudrun & Clark, Andrew E. & Stefansson, Gunnar & Asgeirsdottir, Tinna Laufey, 2024. "Where does money matter more?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 350-365.
    5. Borissov, Kirill & Kalk, Andrei, 2020. "Public debt, positional concerns, and wealth inequality," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 96-111.
    6. Uchida, Yuki & Ono, Tetsuo, 2021. "Political economy of taxation, debt ceilings, and growth," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    7. Minjie Deng, 2024. "Inequality, Taxation, and Sovereign Default Risk," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 16(2), pages 217-249, April.
    8. Qaiser Munir & Sook Ching Kok & Winnie Abdulnasir, 2016. "Public debt sustainability and economic growth in Malaysia: Threshold and causality analysis," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 5306868, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    9. Carrera, Jorge & de la Vega, Pablo, 2021. "The impact of income inequality on public debt," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).
    10. Rosaria Rita Canale & Rita Siano, 2024. "Is government debt a burden on workers' income share? An investigation on Italian dynamics," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 41(2), pages 543-563, July.
    11. Ryo Arawatari & Tetsuo Ono, 2023. "International coordination of debt rules with time‐inconsistent voters," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 25(1), pages 29-60, February.
    12. Jorge Carrera & Pablo De la Vega & Fernando Toledo, 2021. "Income Inequality and Fiscal Policy over the Political Cycle A Panel Estimation Model for Emerging Markets and Developing Economies," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4449, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    13. Farzana Alamgir & Alok Johri, 2022. "International Sovereign Spread Differences and the Poverty of Nations," Department of Economics Working Papers 2022-06, McMaster University.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General

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