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A Note on Public Debt, Tax-Exempt Bonds, and Ponzi Games

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  • Berthold U. Wigger

Abstract

By issuing tax-exempt bonds, the government can incur debt and never pay back any principal or interest, even if the economy without public debt evolves on a dynamically efficient growth path. The welfare effects of such a Ponzi type borrowing scheme are mixed. The current young will unambiguously benefit.Depending on preferences and the aggregate technology, also a finite number of subsequent generations may benefit. The welfare of all generations thereafter, however, will be lower than in the economy without public debt.

Suggested Citation

  • Berthold U. Wigger, 2007. "A Note on Public Debt, Tax-Exempt Bonds, and Ponzi Games," IMF Working Papers 2007/162, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2007/162
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Mr. John Norregaard, 1997. "The Tax Treatment of Government Bonds," IMF Working Papers 1997/025, International Monetary Fund.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yasuoka, Masaya & Miyake, Atsushi, 2013. "Public debt, child allowances and pension benefits with endogenous fertility," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 7, pages 1-25.
    2. Mosolygó, Zsuzsa, 2011. "On the long-term trends of public debt – Implications of the government’s Ponzi game and ageing," Public Finance Quarterly, Corvinus University of Budapest, vol. 56(4), pages 446-473.

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    Keywords

    WP; Ponzi game; capital market;
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