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On the Economics of Fiscal Populism in an Open Economy

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  • Benhabib, Jess
  • Velasco, Andres

Abstract

We study a representative agent, open economy in which government-provided services that enter the domestic production function must be financed with distortionary taxes, and focus on the optimal size of government and the associated optimal tax rate. If the government can precommit its actions, it maximizes individual welfare by announcing and implementing a constant tax rate, which we label the orthodox tax rate. This tax rate is time inconsistent, and under discretion the government implements a tax that maximizes each periods output. We label this the populist tax rate. It may be higher or lower than the orthodox rate, depending on whether the elasticity of substitution in production between private and public inputs is below or above one. We also characterize the second-best tax rate that can be sustained through trigger strategies. This best sustainable tax rate is constant and lies between the orthodox and populist extremes.
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Suggested Citation

  • Benhabib, Jess & Velasco, Andres, 1994. "On the Economics of Fiscal Populism in an Open Economy," Working Papers 94-22, C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics, New York University.
    • Handle: RePEc:cvs:starer:94-22
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Benhabib, Jess & Rustichini, Aldo, 1991. "Social Conflict, Growth and Inequality," Working Papers 91-46, C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics, New York University.
    2. Rudiger Dornbusch & Sebastian Edwards, 1989. "Macroeconomic Populism in Latin America," NBER Working Papers 2986, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    4. Rudiger Dornbusch & Sebastian Edwards, 1991. "The Macroeconomics of Populism in Latin America," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number dorn91-1.
    5. Maurice Obstfeld, 1989. "Dynamic Seigniorage Theory: An Exploration," NBER Working Papers 2869, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Chari, V V & Kehoe, Patrick J, 1990. "Sustainable Plans," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(4), pages 783-802, August.
    7. Barro, Robert J, 1990. "Government Spending in a Simple Model of Endogenous Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 103-126, October.
    8. Tornell, Aaron & Velasco, Andes, 1992. "The Tragedy of the Commons and Economic Growth: Why Does Capital Flow from Poor to Rich Countries?," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(6), pages 1208-1231, December.
    9. Alberto Alesina & Roberto Perotti, 1995. "The Political Economy of Budget Deficits," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 42(1), pages 1-31, March.
    10. Fischer, Stanley, 1980. "Dynamic inconsistency, cooperation and the benevolent dissembling government," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 93-107, May.
    11. Velasco, A., 1993. "A Model of Endogenous Fiscal Deficits and Delayed Fiscal Reforms," Working Papers 93-04, C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics, New York University.
    12. Jeffrey D. Sachs, 1989. "Social Conflict and Populist Policies in Latin America," NBER Working Papers 2897, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Kydland, Finn E & Prescott, Edward C, 1977. "Rules Rather Than Discretion: The Inconsistency of Optimal Plans," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 85(3), pages 473-491, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nouriel Roubini & Gian Maria Milesi-Ferrett, 1994. "Optimal Taxation of Human and Physical Capital in Endogenous Capital Models," NBER Working Papers 4882, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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