The Dynamics of Inequality and Social Security in General Equilibrium

B-Tier
Journal: Review of Economic Dynamics
Year: 2011
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
Pages: 613-635

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper analyzes the dynamic politico-economic equilibrium of a model where repeated voting on social security and the evolution of household characteristics in general equilibrium are mutually affected over time. In particular, we incorporate within-cohort heterogeneity in a two-period Overlapping-Generation model to capture the intra-generational redistributive effect of social security transfers. Political decision-making is represented by a probabilistic voting à la Lindbeck and Weibull (1987). We analytically characterize the Markov perfect equilibrium, in which social security tax rates are shown to be increasing in wealth inequality. A dynamic interaction between inequality and social security leads to larger social security programs. In a model calibrated to the U.S.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:red:issued:09-145
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-29