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Total Utility, Overlapping Generations and Optimal Population

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  • Gary Anthony Gigliotti

Abstract

The necessary and sufficient conditions for the solution to an optimal population growth model with overlapping generations, using the sum of total utility per generation as the objective function are derived. The solution for a specific, steady state model and an example are presented, and compared to that for a similar model without overlapping generations. In both cases, a positive, but less than infinite, optimal growth rate is found. Next, since an additively separable individual utility function is used, the differences between a total utility per generation model and a total utility per period model, a la Lerner, are discussed. Finally, the results of the total utility model are compared to those from a model in which the discounted sum of per capita utility is the objective function. An extension to the Samuelson-Lerner Utility Paradox, concerning the optimal rate of population growth, is discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Gary Anthony Gigliotti, 1983. "Total Utility, Overlapping Generations and Optimal Population," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 50(1), pages 71-86.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:restud:v:50:y:1983:i:1:p:71-86.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.2307/2296955
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Robinson, James A. & Srinivasan, T.N., 1997. "Long-term consequences of population growth: Technological change, natural resources, and the environment," Handbook of Population and Family Economics, in: M. R. Rosenzweig & Stark, O. (ed.), Handbook of Population and Family Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 21, pages 1175-1298, Elsevier.
    2. Dasgupta, Partha, 1998. "Population, consumption and resources: Ethical issues," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(2-3), pages 139-152, February.
    3. C. Simon Fan & Oded Stark, 2008. "Looking At The "Population Problem" Through The Prism Of Heterogeneity: Welfare And Policy Analyses," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 49(3), pages 799-835, August.
    4. Luigi Aldieri & Gennaro Guida & Maxim Kotsemir & Concetto Paolo Vinci, 2019. "An investigation of impact of research collaboration on academic performance in Italy," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(4), pages 2003-2040, July.
    5. Cockburn, John & Duclos, Jean-Yves & Zabsonré, Agnès, 2014. "Is global social welfare increasing? A critical-level enquiry," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 151-162.
    6. Cuberes, David & Tamura, Robert, 2014. "Equilibrium and Optimal Fertility with Increasing Returns to Population and Endogenous Fertility," MPRA Paper 57063, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Robert TAMURA & David CUBERES, 2020. "Equilibrium and A-efficient Fertility with Increasing Returns to Population and Endogenous Mortality," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 86(2), pages 157-182, June.
    8. Marietta A. Constantinides, 1988. "Optimal Population Growth and the Social Welfare Function," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 229-238, Jul-Sep.
    9. Satoshi Nakano & Kazuhiko Nishimura, 2016. "Optimal Population in a Finite Horizon," Papers 1608.01535, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2018.

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