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The role of the wealth distribution on output volatility

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Author Info
Christian Ghiglino ()
Alain Venditti

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Abstract

We explore the link between wealth inequality and business cycle fluctuations in a two-sector neoclassical growth model with endogenous labor and heterogeneous agents. Assuming that wealth inequality is described by the distribution of shares of capital, we show that in the most plausible situations wealth equality is a stabilizing factor. In particular, when wealth is Pareto distributed and preferences generate non-linear absolute risk tolerance indices, a rise in the Gini index may only be associated to a rise in volatility. When individual preferences are such that the individual absolute risk tolerance indices are linear, as with HARA utility, even a low level of taste heterogeneity ensures that a rise in inequality may not reduce volatility, and this independently of the wealth distribution. Finally, we note that such a clear result is at odd with the existing related literature.

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Paper provided by University of Essex, Department of Economics in its series Economics Discussion Papers with number 653.

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Date of creation: 21 May 2008
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Handle: RePEc:esx:essedp:653

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  1. Ghiglino, Christian & Venditti, Alain, 2007. "Wealth inequality, preference heterogeneity and macroeconomic volatility in two-sector economies," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 135(1), pages 414-441, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Cecilia Garcia-Penalosa & Stephen Turnovsky, 2003. "Production Risk and the Functional Distribution of Income in a Developing Economy: Tradeoffs and Policy Responses," Working Papers UWEC-2002-07-P, University of Washington, Department of Economics, revised Oct 2003. [Downloadable!]
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  3. Bosi, Stefano & Magris, Francesco & Venditti, Alain, 2005. "Competitive equilibrium cycles with endogenous labor," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 325-349, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Benhabib, Jess & Nishimura, Kazuo, 1989. "Stochastic Equilibrium Oscillations," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 30(1), pages 85-102, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  5. Hara, Chiaki & Huang, James & Kuzmics, Christoph, 2007. "Representative Consumer's Risk Aversion and Efficient Risk-Sharing Rules," Discussion Paper 323, Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University. [Downloadable!]
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  6. Piketty, Thomas & Banerjee, Abhijit & Aghion, Philippe, 1997. "Dualism and macroeconomic volatility," CEPREMAP Working Papers (Couverture Orange) 9720, CEPREMAP.
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  7. Luigi Guiso & Monica Paiella, 2003. "Risk Aversion, Wealth and Background Risk," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 483, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
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  8. Ghiglino, Christian, 2005. "Wealth inequality and dynamic stability," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 124(1), pages 106-115, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  9. Bosi, Stefano & Seegmuller, Thomas, 2006. "Optimal cycles and social inequality: What do we learn from the Gini index?," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 35-46, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Stefano Bosi & Thomas Seegmuller, 2006. "Optimal Cycles and Social Inequality: What Do We Learn from the Gini Index?," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00194182_v1, HAL. [Downloadable!]
  11. Nishimura, Kazuo & Venditti, Alain, 2007. "Indeterminacy in discrete-time infinite-horizon models with non-linear utility and endogenous labor," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(3-4), pages 446-476, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Laurent Calvet ; Jean-Michel Grandmont ; Isabelle Lemaire, 2001. "Aggregation of Heterogenous Beliefs and Asset Pricing in Complete Financial Markets," Working Papers 2001-01, Centre de Recherche en Economie et Statistique. [Downloadable!]
  13. Caroli, Eve & Garcia-Penalosa, Cecilia, 2002. "Risk aversion and rising wage inequality," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 21-26, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. Christian Ghiglino & Marielle Olszak-Duquenne, 2005. "On The Impact Of Heterogeneity On Indeterminacy," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 46(1), pages 171-188, 02. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  15. Nishimura, Kazuo, 1985. "Competitive equilibrium cycles," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 284-306, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  16. Herrendorf, Berthold & Valentinyi, Akos & Waldmann, Robert, 2000. "Ruling Out Multiplicity and Indeterminacy: The Role of Heterogeneity," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 67(2), pages 295-307, April.
  17. Benhabib, Jess & Nishimura, Kazuo, 1981. "Stability of Equilibrium in Dynamic Models of Capital Theory," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 22(2), pages 275-93, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  18. Timothy J. Kehoe & David K. Levine & Paul Romer, 1990. "Determinacy of Equilibrium in Dynamic Models with Finitely Many Consumers," Levine's Working Paper Archive 165, David K. Levine. [Downloadable!]
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  19. Rothschild, Michael & Stiglitz, Joseph E., 1970. "Increasing risk: I. A definition," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 225-243, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  20. Mitra, Tapan & Nishimura, Kazuo, 2001. "Discounting and Long-Run Behavior: Global Bifurcation Analysis of a Family of Dynamical Systems," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 96(1-2), pages 256-293, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  21. Kazuo Nishimura & Alain Venditti & Makoto Yano, 2006. "Endogenous Fluctuations In Two-Country Models," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 57(4), pages 516-532. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  22. Gollier, Christian, 2001. "Wealth Inequality and Asset Pricing," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 68(1), pages 181-203, January.
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  23. Santos, M.S., 1989. "Differentiability And Comparative Analysis In Discrete-Time Infinite-Horizon Optimization Problems," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 127-89, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC).
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