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Fiscal Consolidation and Public Wages

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  • JUIN‐JEN CHANG
  • HSIEH‐YU LIN
  • NORA TRAUM
  • SHU‐CHUN S. YANG

Abstract

A New Keynesian model with government production, public compensation, and unemployment is fit to U.S. data to study the effects of public wage reductions. Estimation implies reductions in public wages and government goods purchases have similar effects on total output, and the fiscal balance, yet the former can raise private output slightly, while the latter does not. Exogenous public wage reductions decrease private wages. Model counterfactuals show that sufficiently rigid nominal private wages can reverse the private wage response, as the rigidity dampens the labor reallocation effect from the public to private sector that exerts downward pressure on private wages.

Suggested Citation

  • Juin‐Jen Chang & Hsieh‐Yu Lin & Nora Traum & Shu‐Chun S. Yang, 2021. "Fiscal Consolidation and Public Wages," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 53(2-3), pages 503-533, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jmoncb:v:53:y:2021:i:2-3:p:503-533
    DOI: 10.1111/jmcb.12775
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    3. Shiou-Yen Chu & Tsaur-Chin Wu, 2023. "Ad valorem versus unit taxes on capital in a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(6), pages 1435-1456, December.

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