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Welfare-improving Government Behaviour and Inequality - Inspection Using a Heterogeneous-agent Model

Author

Listed:
  • Miguel Viegas

    (GOVCOPP, DEGEI, Universidade de Aveiro)

  • Ana Paula Ribeiro

    (Faculdade de Economia da Universidade do Porto and CEF.UP)

Abstract

Governments behavior is expected to be non-neutral in terms of impacts on both welfare and inequality. In spite of their multivariate form, a tentative assessment of such inequality impacts can be provided by using a general equilibrium model with heterogeneous-agents and where wealth and income distribution is determined endogenously. Using a model capable of exploring the relationship between fiscal policy variables and the endogenous cross-section distribution of income, wealth, consumption and leisure, this paper produces a welfare and inequality analysis of several equilibriums resulting from different combinations of debt levels and of government budget variables. Moreover, such assessment is based on the empirical reality of the EU countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Miguel Viegas & Ana Paula Ribeiro, 2011. "Welfare-improving Government Behaviour and Inequality - Inspection Using a Heterogeneous-agent Model," CEF.UP Working Papers 1103, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    • Handle: RePEc:por:cetedp:1103
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Viegas, Miguel & Ribeiro, Ana Paula, 2016. "Assessing Welfare Impacts Of Some Debt-Consolidation Episodes In The European Union," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(5), pages 1146-1173, July.
    2. Viegas, Miguel & Ribeiro, Ana Paula, 2013. "The Dutch experience: Assessing the welfare impacts of two consolidation strategies using a heterogeneous-agent framework," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 351-360.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    government budget composition and debt; heterogeneous agent model; idiosyncratic shock; inequality; welfare.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E17 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General

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