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Consumption Smoothing and Income Redistribution

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  • Bertola, Giuseppe
  • Koeniger, Winfried

Abstract

We show theoretically that income redistribution benefits borrowing-constrained individuals more than is implied by standard relative-income and uninsurable-risk considerations. Empirically, we find in international opinion-survey data that younger and lower-income individuals express stronger support for government redistribution in countries where consumer credit is less easily available. This evidence supports our theoretical perspective if such individuals are more strongly affected by tighter credit supply, in that expectations of higher incomes in the future increase their propensity to borrow.

Suggested Citation

  • Bertola, Giuseppe & Koeniger, Winfried, 2007. "Consumption Smoothing and Income Redistribution," CEPR Discussion Papers 6051, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:6051
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. C. Giannetti & M. Madia & L. Moretti, 2013. "Job Insecurity and Financial Distress," Working Papers wp887, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    2. Elvire Guillaud & Michaël Zemmour, 2017. "The redistributive preferences of the well-off," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-01652706, HAL.
    3. Merkl, Christian & Schmitz, Tom, 2011. "Macroeconomic volatilities and the labor market: First results from the euro experiment," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 44-60, March.
    4. Bertola, Giuseppe, 2008. "Labour Markets in EMU - What has Changed and What Needs to Change," CEPR Discussion Papers 7049, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Giuseppe Bertola & Anna Lo Prete, 2009. "Openness, Financial Markets and Policies: Cross-Country and Dynamic Patterns," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 95-96, pages 167-182.
    6. Giuseppe Bertola, 2007. "Finance and Welfare States in Globalising Markets," RBA Annual Conference Volume (Discontinued), in: Christopher Kent & Jeremy Lawson (ed.),The Structure and Resilience of the Financial System, Reserve Bank of Australia.
    7. Charles Grant & Winfried Koeniger, 2009. "Redistributive Taxation and Personal Bankruptcy in U.S. States," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 52(3), pages 445-467, August.
    8. Elvire Guillaud & Michaël Zemmour, 2017. "The redistributive preferences of the well-off," Post-Print halshs-01652706, HAL.
    9. Elvire Guillaud & Michaël Zemmour, 2017. "The redistributive preferences of the well-off," Working Papers halshs-01652706, HAL.
    10. Guglielmo Forges Davanzati & Andrea Pacella, 2010. "Emulation, indebtedness and income distribution: A monetary theory of production approach," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 7(1), pages 147-165.
    11. Giuseppe Bertola & Anna Lo Prete, 2013. "Finance, governments, and trade," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 149(2), pages 273-294, June.
    12. Anna Lo Prete, 2016. "Labour Market Institutions and Household Consumption Insurance within OECD Countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(6), pages 755-771, June.
    13. Bertola, Giuseppe & Lo Prete, Anna, 2010. "Whence Policy? Government Policies, Finance, and Economic Integration," CEPR Discussion Papers 7820, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Borrowing constraints; Consumer credit;

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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