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Social Security, Government Finance, and Savings

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  • JEFFREY CARMICHAEL
  • KIM HAWTREY

Abstract

This paper considers the impact of social security and the government financing mix on saving behaviour and aggregate economic activity. The theoretical argument for the neutrality of these actions is shown to have validity only if we consider the economy as behaving like a composite individual. Particular individuals do not face the same marginal rates of substitution and transformation as the hypothetical composite, due to corner solutions, illusions, and important distribution effects. Empirically, neutrality for the whole economy depends on the relative strengths of the offsetting forces faced by the individuals. Our findings with Australian data suggest that neither the level of aged pensions, nor the government financing mix, have substantial real effects on aggregate saving behaviour.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey Carmichael & Kim Hawtrey, 1981. "Social Security, Government Finance, and Savings," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 57(4), pages 332-343, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecorec:v:57:y:1981:i:4:p:332-343
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4932.1981.tb01069.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barro, Robert J, 1974. "Are Government Bonds Net Wealth?," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(6), pages 1095-1117, Nov.-Dec..
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    3. John Helliwell & Peter Boxall, 1978. "Private Sector Wealth: Quarterly Estimates for use in an Aggregate Model," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 54(1), pages 45-64, April.
    4. Feldstein, Martin S, 1974. "Social Security, Induced Retirement, and Aggregate Capital Accumulation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(5), pages 905-926, Sept./Oct.
    5. Kochin, Levis A, 1974. "Are Future Taxes Anticipated by Consumers? Comment," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 6(3), pages 385-394, August.
    6. Kotlikoff, Laurence J, 1979. "Testing the Theory of Social Security and Life Cycle Accumulation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 69(3), pages 396-410, June.
    7. Buchanan, James M, 1976. "Barro on the Ricardian Equivalence Theorem," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 84(2), pages 337-342, April.
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    9. Feldstein, Martin & Pellechio, Anthony, 1979. "Social Security and Household Wealth Accumulation: New Microeconometric Evidence," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 61(3), pages 361-368, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. W. J. Merrilees, 1983. "Pension Benefits and the Decline in Elderly Male Labour Force Participation," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 59(3), pages 260-270, September.

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