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Public debt expansions and the dynamics of the household borrowing constraint

Author

Listed:
  • António Antunes

    (Bank of Portugal)

  • Valerio Ercolani

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

Contrary to a well-established view, public debt expansions may tighten the household borrowing constraint over time. Within an incomplete-markets model featuring an endogenous borrowing limit, we show that plausible debt-financed fiscal policies generate such tightening through an increase in the interest rate. The tightening makes constrained agents deleverage and reinforces the precautionary saving motive of the unconstrained. This appetite for assets affects factor prices and this, in some cases, amplifies the households' reactions to the policies. For example, the tightening can substantially magnify the government spending multiplier by strengthening the typical negative wealth effect on labor supply induced by the fiscal stimulus. Moreover, the tightening affects political support for the policies mainly through price effects.

Suggested Citation

  • António Antunes & Valerio Ercolani, 2020. "Public debt expansions and the dynamics of the household borrowing constraint," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1268, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_1268_20
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    2. Shvets, Serhii, 2020. "The golden rule of public finance under active monetary stance: endogenous setting for a developing economy," MPRA Paper 101232, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Bayer, Christian & Born, Benjamin & Luetticke, Ralph, 2023. "The liquidity channel of fiscal policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 86-117.
    4. Dinci J. Penzin & Afees Salisu & Benedict N.Akanegbu, 2022. "A Note On Public Debt-Private Investment Nexus In Emerging Economies," Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking, Bank Indonesia, vol. 25(1), pages 25-36, June.
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    6. Javier Andrés & José E. Boscá & Javier Ferri & Cristina Fuentes‐Albero, 2022. "Households' Balance Sheets and the Effect of Fiscal Policy," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 54(4), pages 737-778, June.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    endogenous borrowing constraint; government debt; fiscal policies and multipliers; heterogeneous households; incomplete markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General

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