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Maximum Sustainable Government Debt in the Overlapping Generations Model

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  • Rankin, Neil
  • Roffia, Barbara

Abstract

The theoretical determinants of maximum sustainable government debt are investigated using Diamond’s overlapping-generations model. A level of debt is defined to be ‘sustainable’ if a steady state with non-degenerate values of economic variables exists. We show that a maximum sustainable level of debt almost always exists. Most interestingly, it normally occurs at a ‘catastrophe’ rather than a ‘degeneracy’, i.e. where variables such as capital and consumption are in the interiors, rather than at the limits, of their economically meaningful ranges. This means that if debt is increased step by step, the economy may suddenly collapse without obvious warning.

Suggested Citation

  • Rankin, Neil & Roffia, Barbara, 1999. "Maximum Sustainable Government Debt in the Overlapping Generations Model," Economic Research Papers 269247, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uwarer:269247
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.269247
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nielsen, Soren Bo, 1992. "A note on the sustainability of primary budget deficits," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 745-754.
    2. Laurence J. Kotlikoff & Laurence J. Kotlikoff & Willi Leibfritz, 1999. "From Deficit Delusion to the Fiscal Balance Rule: Looking for an Economically Meaningful Way to Assess Fiscal Policy," NBER Chapters, in: Generational Accounting around the World, pages 9-30, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Christ, Carl F, 1979. "On Fiscal and Monetary Policies and the Government Budget Restraint," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 69(4), pages 526-538, September.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agricultural and Food Policy; Financial Economics;

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt

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