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Hyperbolical Discounting and Endogenous Growth

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  • Strulik, Holger

Abstract

This paper provides the exact analytical solution for the standard model of endogenous growth when consumers have present-biased preferences and make time-inconsistent savings plans, which they revise continuously. It is shown that long-run growth is not necessarily lower under present-biased preferences. In fact, an equivalence result holds. If hyperbolical discounting provides the same present value of a constant infinite income stream as standard exponential discounting, then the equilibrium rate of economic growth is also the same under both discounting methods. In this sense present-bias and the entailed time-inconsistency of savings plans are harmless for economic growth. The result is robust to the introduction of non-homothetic utility and a variable elasticity of intertemporal substitution in consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Strulik, Holger, 2014. "Hyperbolical Discounting and Endogenous Growth," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100560, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc14:100560
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Francisco Cabo & Guiomar Martín-Herrán & María Pilar Martínez-García, 2020. "Non-constant Discounting, Social Welfare and Endogenous Growth with Pollution Externalities," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(2), pages 369-403, July.
    2. Strulik, Holger & Trimborn, Timo, 2018. "Hyperbolic discounting can be good for your health," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 44-57.
    3. Cabo, Francisco & Martín-Herrán, Guiomar & Martínez-García, María Pilar, 2016. "Unbounded growth in the Neoclassical growth model with non-constant discounting," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 93-104.
    4. Johannes Schünemann & Holger Strulik & Timo Trimborn, 2023. "Anticipation of Future Consumption, Excessive Savings, and Long-Run Growth," Economics Working Papers 2023-10, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    5. Holger Strulik, 2021. "Hyperbolic discounting and the time‐consistent solution of three canonical environmental problems," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 23(3), pages 462-486, June.
    6. Cabo, Francisco & Martín-Herrán, Guiomar & Martínez-García, María Pilar, 2020. "Present bias and the inefficiency of the centralized economy: The role of the elasticity of intertemporal substitution," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 702-716.
    7. Cabo, Francisco & Martín-Herrán, Guiomar & Martínez-García, María Pilar, 2015. "Non-constant discounting and Ak-type growth models," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 54-58.
    8. Carles Mañó-Cabello & Jesús Marín-Solano & Jorge Navas, 2021. "A Resource Extraction Model with Technology Adoption under Time Inconsistent Preferences," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(18), pages 1-24, September.
    9. Shinya Tsukahara, 2019. "Present bias and endogenous fiscal deficits: Revisiting Woo (2005)," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(3), pages 1666-1676.
    10. Takayuki Ogawa & Hiroaki Ohno, 2024. "Hyperbolic discounting and state‐dependent commitment," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 91(362), pages 414-445, April.
    11. Kang, Minwook & Kim, Eungsik, 2024. "Present bias and endogenous growth," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    12. Strulik, Holger, 2016. "Limited self-control and long-run growth," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 1-8.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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