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Fiscal Stimulus In Expectations-Driven Liquidity Traps

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  • Lustenhouwer, Joep

Abstract

I study liquidity traps in a model where agents have heterogeneous expectations and finite planning horizons. Backward-looking agents base their expectations on past observations, while forward-looking agents have fully rational expectations. Liquidity traps that are fully or partly driven by expectations can arise due to pessimism of backward-looking agents. Only when planning horizons are finite, these liquidity traps can be of longer duration without ending up in a deflationary spiral. I further find that fiscal stimulus in the form of an increase in government spending or a cut in consumption taxes can be very effective in mitigating the liquidity trap. A feedback mechanism of heterogeneous expectations causes fiscal multipliers to be the largest when the majority of agents is backward-looking but there also is a considerable fraction of agents that are forward-looking. Labor tax cuts are always deflationary and are not an effective tool in a liquidity trap.

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  • Lustenhouwer, Joep, 2020. "Fiscal Stimulus In Expectations-Driven Liquidity Traps," Working Papers 0683, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:awi:wpaper:0683
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    2. Chatterjee, Pratiti & Milani, Fabio, 2020. "Perceived uncertainty shocks, excess optimism-pessimism, and learning in the business cycle," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 342-360.
    3. Lustenhouwer, Joep & Salle, Isabelle, 2022. "Forecast revisions in the presence of news: a lab investigation," Working Papers 0714, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.

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