Fiscal policy and inequality in a model with endogenous positional concerns

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Mathematical Economics
Year: 2022
Volume: 103
Issue: C

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

We investigate the dynamics of wealth inequality in an economy where households have positional preferences, with the strength of the positional concern determined endogenously by inequality of wealth distribution in the society. We demonstrate that in the long run such an economy converges to a unique egalitarian steady-state equilibrium, with all households holding equal positive wealth, when the initial inequality is sufficiently low. Otherwise, the steady state is characterised by polarisation of households into rich, who own all the wealth, and poor, whose wealth is zero. A fiscal policy with government consumption funded by taxes on labour income and wealth can move the economy from any initial state towards an egalitarian equilibrium with a higher aggregate wealth.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:mateco:v:103:y:2022:i:c:s030440682200091x
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24