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Generational Distribution of Fiscal Burdens: A Positive Analysis

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  • Uchida, Yuki
  • Ono, Tetsuo

Abstract

This study presents a political economy model with overlapping generations to analyze the effects of population aging on fiscal policy formation and the resulting distribution of fiscal burden across generations. The analysis shows that increased political power of the old, arising from population aging, leads to (i) an increase in the ratio of labor income tax revenue to GDP and the ratio of debt to GDP, and (ii) an increase in the ratio of capital income tax revenue to GDP in countries with high degrees of preferences for public goods, but an initial decrease followed by an increase in this ratio in countries with low degrees of preferences for public goods.

Suggested Citation

  • Uchida, Yuki & Ono, Tetsuo, 2020. "Generational Distribution of Fiscal Burdens: A Positive Analysis," MPRA Paper 102826, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:102826
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Generational burden; Overlapping generations; Political economy; Population aging; Public debt;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General

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