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Walrasian Indeterminacy and Keynesian Macroeconomics

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  • J. D. Geanakoplos
  • H. M. Polemarchakis

Abstract

Overlapping generations models with or without production or a portfolio demand for money display a fundamental indeterminacy. Expectations matter; and they are not, in the short run, constrained by the hypotheses of agent optimization, rational expectations, and market clearing. No short run policy analysis is possible without some explicit understanding of how agents expect the economy to respond to the policy. In this framework of perfect foresight and market clearing prices, it is possible to make Keynesian assumptions about the rigidity of money wages and the exogeneity of "animal spirits" of investors, to use the standard IS-LM apparatus, and to derive Keynesian conclusions about the short run effectiveness of policy. Alternatively, starting from different but no less rational expectations, one can derive the "new classical" neutrality propositions.

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  • J. D. Geanakoplos & H. M. Polemarchakis, 1986. "Walrasian Indeterminacy and Keynesian Macroeconomics," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 53(5), pages 755-779.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:restud:v:53:y:1986:i:5:p:755-779.
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    Cited by:

    1. Céline Rochon & Herakles Polemarchakis, 2006. "Debt, liquidity and dynamics," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 27(1), pages 179-211, January.
    2. Tsomocos, Dimitrios P., 2008. "Generic determinacy and money non-neutrality of international monetary equilibria," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(7-8), pages 866-887, July.
    3. Kunieda, Takuma, 2008. "Asset bubbles and borrowing constraints," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 112-131, January.
    4. John Geanakoplos, 2008. "Overlapping Generations Models of General Equilibrium," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1663, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    5. Carine Nourry & Alain Venditti, 2002. "An Overlapping Generations Model with Endogenous Labor Supply: A Dynamic Analysis," Documents de recherche 02-11, Centre d'Études des Politiques Économiques (EPEE), Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne.
    6. Gaël Giraud & Antonin Pottier, 2016. "Debt-deflation versus the liquidity trap: the dilemma of nonconventional monetary policy," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 62(1), pages 383-408, June.
    7. Maarten C.W. Janssen, 2006. "Microfoundations," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 06-041/1, Tinbergen Institute.
    8. Gianluca Benigno & Luca Fornaro, 2018. "Stagnation Traps," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 85(3), pages 1425-1470.
    9. Naoki Yoshihara & Se Ho Kwak, 2024. "Sraffian indeterminacy of steady‐state equilibria in the Walrasian general equilibrium framework," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(3), pages 377-395, July.
    10. Philippe Weil, 2008. "Overlapping Generations: The First Jubilee," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 22(4), pages 115-134, Fall.
    11. Liu, Xuewen & Wang, Pengfei & Yang, Zhongchao, 2024. "Delayed crises and slow recoveries," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    12. Orlando Gomes, 2010. "Endogenous Growth, Price Stability And Market Disequilibria," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(1), pages 3-34, February.
    13. DEMICHELIS, Stefano & POLEMARCHAKIS, Heracles, 2000. "Life-span and the determinacy of equilibrium in economies of overlapping generations," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2000034, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    14. Amedeo Panci, 1999. "Multiple equilibria: coordination failure and endogenous cycle," Working Papers in Public Economics 30, Department of Economics and Law, Sapienza University of Roma.
    15. Thierry Laurent & Hélène Zajdela, 1999. "Emploi, salaire et coordination des activités," Cahiers d'Économie Politique, Programme National Persée, vol. 34(1), pages 67-100.
    16. Guido Cazzavillan & Patrick A. Pintus, 2004. "Robustness of Multiple Equilibria in OLG Economies," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 7(2), pages 456-475, April.
    17. Farmer, Roger E.A., 2000. "Two New Keynesian Theories Of Sticky Prices," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 74-107, March.
    18. H. Polemarchakis & S. Demichelis, 2002. "Frequency of Trade and the Determinancy of Equilibrium Paths: Logarithmic Economies of Overlapping Generations Under Certainty," Working Papers 2002-16, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    19. Guido Cazzavillan & Patrick A. Pintus, 2006. "Endogenous business cycles and dynamic inefficiency," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 2(3‐4), pages 279-294, September.

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