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Bequests, Imperfections in Factor Markets, and Long-Run Inequality: A Theoretical Assessment of Piketty

Author

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  • Andrés Álvarez
  • Camilo Gómez
  • Hernando Zuleta

Abstract

The book Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty (2014) has renewed the public and scholar debate about wealth and income inequality. Theoretical critiques have focused their attention on a regularity pointed out by the author, namely, the growth rate of the economy is lower than the interest rate, r > g. However, two other important insights are key to understand the persistence of inequality: bequests and differences between factor prices and the marginal productivity of factors. We present an OLG model that incorporates these two elements and explores under which circumstances inequality between two social groups, rich dynasties and poor dynasties, is a long-term equilibrium result with economic growth. The model considers two goods, one essential and the other non-essential. We find that inequality between rich and poor dynasties is a long-term equilibrium when (i) the marginal productivity of labor of the essential good is bounded from above and the marginal productivity of capital in the non-essential good sector is bounded from below by a positive value; and (ii) factor remunerations are not determined by the standard economic forces of marginal product.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrés Álvarez & Camilo Gómez & Hernando Zuleta, 2019. "Bequests, Imperfections in Factor Markets, and Long-Run Inequality: A Theoretical Assessment of Piketty," Documentos CEDE 17674, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
  • Handle: RePEc:col:000089:017674
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria Alejandra Torres León, 2022. "Go green or go home? Energy transition, directed technical change and wage inequalit," Documentos CEDE 20104, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequality; growth; bequests; factor shares; Piketty.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D33 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Factor Income Distribution
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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