IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/imk/wpaper/104-2012.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Instability, stationary utilization and effective demand: A synthesis of Harrodian and Kaleckian growth theory

Author

Listed:
  • Christian Schoder

Abstract

Within a Kaleckian framework, Harrodian instability and a constant long-run utilization rate are reconciled with the principle of effective demand by endogenizing the capacity output-capital ratio. Its change over time is argued to be a positive function of the utilization rate. As stabilizing forces, distribution and debt dynamics are considered. We argue that, with plausible non-linearities in the investment function, limit cycles consistent with empirical observations for the US can be generated by our model with reasonable parameter values and functional forms. With an endogenous capacity-capital ratio, the paradox of thrift as well as the paradox of cost may hold despite a constant long-run utilization rate.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Schoder, 2012. "Instability, stationary utilization and effective demand: A synthesis of Harrodian and Kaleckian growth theory," IMK Working Paper 104-2012, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:imk:wpaper:104-2012
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.boeckler.de/pdf/p_imk_wp_104_2012.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peter J. Klenow & Oleksiy Kryvtsov, 2008. "State-Dependent or Time-Dependent Pricing: Does it Matter for Recent U.S. Inflation?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 123(3), pages 863-904.
    2. Eckhard Hein, 2007. "Interest Rate, Debt, Distribution And Capital Accumulation In A Post‐Kaleckian Model," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(2), pages 310-339, May.
    3. Christian Schoder, 2012. "Hysteresis In The Kaleckian Growth Model: A Bayesian Analysis For The Us Manufacturing Sector From 1984 To 2007," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(3), pages 542-568, July.
    4. Ozgür Orhangazi, 2008. "Financialisation and capital accumulation in the non-financial corporate sector:," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 32(6), pages 863-886, November.
    5. Christian Schoder, 2012. "Effective demand, exogenous normal utilization and endogenous capacity in the long run. Evidence from a CVAR analysis for the US," IMK Working Paper 103-2012, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    6. Lavoie, Marc, 1995. "The Kaleckian Model of Growth and Distribution and Its Neo-Ricardian and Neo-Marxian Critiques," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(6), pages 789-818, December.
    7. Marc Lavoie, 1996. "Traverse, Hysteresis, and Normal Rates of Capacity Utilization in Kaleckian Models of Growth and Distribution," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 28(4), pages 113-147, December.
    8. Bhaduri, Amit & Marglin, Stephen, 1990. "Unemployment and the Real Wage: The Economic Basis for Contesting Political Ideologies," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 14(4), pages 375-393, December.
    9. Peter Skott, 2012. "Theoretical And Empirical Shortcomings Of The Kaleckian Investment Function," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(1), pages 109-138, February.
    10. Eckhard Hein & Christian Schoder, 2011. "Interest rates, distribution and capital accumulation -- A post-Kaleckian perspective on the US and Germany," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(6), pages 693-723, November.
    11. Marc Lavoie, 1995. "Interest Rates In Post-Keynesian Models Of Growth And Distribution," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 146-177, June.
    12. Taylor, Lance, 1985. "A Stagnationist Model of Economic Growth," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(4), pages 383-403, December.
    13. Peter Skott, 2010. "Growth, Instability and Cycles: Harrodian and Kaleckian Models of Accumulation and Income Distribution," Chapters, in: Mark Setterfield (ed.), Handbook of Alternative Theories of Economic Growth, chapter 5, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Emi Nakamura & Jón Steinsson, 2008. "Five Facts about Prices: A Reevaluation of Menu Cost Models," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 123(4), pages 1415-1464.
    15. Adrian, Tobias & Shin, Hyun Song, 2010. "Liquidity and leverage," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 418-437, July.
    16. Marc Lavoie, 1992. "Foundations of Post-Keynesian Economic Analysis," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 275.
    17. Dutt, Amitava Krishna, 1984. "Stagnation, Income Distribution and Monopoly Power," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 25-40, March.
    18. Peter Flaschel, 2009. "The Macrodynamics of Capitalism," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-540-87932-9, January.
    19. Engelbert Stockhammer & Özlem Onaran & Stefan Ederer, 2009. "Functional income distribution and aggregate demand in the Euro area," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(1), pages 139-159, January.
    20. Skott,Peter, 2008. "Conflict and Effective Demand in Economic Growth," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521066310.
    21. Eckhard Hein & Marc Lavoie & Till van Treeck, 2011. "Some instability puzzles in Kaleckian models of growth and distribution: a critical survey," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 35(3), pages 587-612.
    22. Christian Schoder, 2012. "Endogenous capital productivity in the Kaleckian growth model. Theory and Evidence," IMK Working Paper 102-2012, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    23. Blecker, Robert A, 1989. "International Competition, Income Distribution and Economic Growth," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 395-412, September.
    24. Eckhard Hein & Lena Vogel, 2008. "Distribution and growth reconsidered: empirical results for six OECD countries," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 32(3), pages 479-511, May.
    25. Peter Skott & Ben Zipperer, 2012. "An empirical evaluation of three post-Keynesian models," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 9(2), pages 277-307.
    26. Michalis Nikiforos, 2011. "On the Desired Rate of Capacity Utilization," Working Papers 1116, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics.
    27. Engelbert Stockhammer & Özlem Onaran, 2002. "Accumulation, distribution and employment: a structural VAR approach to a post-Keynesian macro model," Working Papers geewp20, Vienna University of Economics and Business Research Group: Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness.
    28. Nelson H. Barbosa‐Filho & Lance Taylor, 2006. "Distributive And Demand Cycles In The Us Economy—A Structuralist Goodwin Model," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 389-411, July.
    29. C. Naastepad & Servaas Storm, 2006. "OECD demand regimes (1960-2000)," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 211-246.
    30. Eckhard Hein & Marc Lavoie & Till van Treeck, 2012. "Harrodian Instability And The ‘Normal Rate’ Of Capacity Utilization In Kaleckian Models Of Distribution And Growth—A Survey," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(1), pages 139-169, February.
    31. Edward J. Amadeo, 1986. "Notes On Capacity Utilisation, Distribution And Accumulation," Contributions to Political Economy, Oxford University Press, vol. 5(1), pages 83-94.
    32. Steindl, Josef, 1979. "Stagnation Theory and Stagnation Policy," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(1), pages 1-14, March.
    33. Gérard Duménil & Dominique Lévy, 1999. "Being Keynesian in the Short Term and Classical in the Long Term: The Traverse to Classical Long‐Term Equilibrium," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 67(6), pages 684-716, December.
    34. Skott, Peter, 1989. "Effective Demand, Class Struggle and Cyclical Growth," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 30(1), pages 231-247, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Christian Schoder, 2012. "Effective demand, exogenous normal utilization and endogenous capacity in the long run. Evidence from a CVAR analysis for the US," IMK Working Paper 103-2012, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    2. Michalis Nikiforos, 2013. "Uncertainty and Contradiction: An Essay on the Business Cycle," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_770, Levy Economics Institute.
    3. Commendatore, Pasquale & Pinto, Antonio & Sushko, Iryna, 2014. "A post-Keynesian model of growth and distribution with a constraint on investment," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 12-24.
    4. Christian Schoder, 2012. "Endogenous capital productivity in the Kaleckian growth model. Theory and Evidence," IMK Working Paper 102-2012, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Schoder, Christian, 2014. "Instability, stationary utilization and effective demand: A structuralist model of endogenous cycles," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 10-29.
    2. Christian Schoder, 2012. "Endogenous capital productivity in the Kaleckian growth model. Theory and Evidence," IMK Working Paper 102-2012, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    3. Christian Schoder, 2012. "Effective demand, exogenous normal utilization and endogenous capacity in the long run. Evidence from a CVAR analysis for the US," IMK Working Paper 103-2012, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    4. Eckhard Hein, 2017. "Post-Keynesian macroeconomics since the mid 1990s: main developments," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 14(2), pages 131-172, September.
    5. Christian Schoder, 2015. "Methodological, internal and ontological inconsistencies in the conventional micro-foundation of post-Keynesian theory," Working Papers 1518, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics.
    6. Christian Schoder, 2017. "Estimating Keynesian models of business fluctuations using Bayesian Maximum Likelihood," Review of Keynesian Economics, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 5(4), pages 586–630-5, October.
    7. Christian Schoder, 2015. "A Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic Labor-Market Disequilibrium model for business cycle analysis," IMK Working Paper 157-2015, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    8. Sasaki, Hiroaki, 2012. "Is the long-run equilibrium wage-led or profit-led? A Kaleckian approach," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 231-244.
    9. Santiago José Gahn & Alejandro González, 2022. "On the empirical content of the convergence debate: Cross‐country evidence on growth and capacity utilisation," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(3), pages 825-855, July.
    10. Eckhard Hein, 2019. "Harrodian instability in Kaleckian models and Steindlian solutions," FMM Working Paper 46-2019, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    11. Robert A. Blecker, 2016. "Wage-led versus profit-led demand regimes: the long and the short of it," Review of Keynesian Economics, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 4(4), pages 373-390, October.
    12. Eckhard Hein, 2012. "The Macroeconomics of Finance-Dominated Capitalism – and its Crisis," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14931.
    13. Hein, Eckhard, 2011. "Distribution, ‘Financialisation’ and the Financial and Economic Crisis – Implications for Post-crisis Economic Policies," MPRA Paper 31180, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Eckhard Hein & Marc Lavoie & Till van Treeck, 2011. "Some instability puzzles in Kaleckian models of growth and distribution: a critical survey," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 35(3), pages 587-612.
    15. Christian Schoder, 2014. "Effective Demand, Exogenous Normal Utilization and Endogenous Capacity in the Long Run: Evidence from a Cointegrated Vector Autoregression Analysis for the USA," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(2), pages 298-320, May.
    16. Schoder, Christian, 2017. "Are Dynamic Stochastic Disequilibrium models Keynesian or neoclassical?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 46-63.
    17. Botte, Florian & Dallery, Thomas, 2019. "Analyse systématique du modèle de Bhaduri et Marglin à prix flexibles : « Ça dépend de la valeur des paramètres » [Systematic analysis of the Bhaduri-Marglin Model with flexible prices: « It depend," Revue de la Régulation - Capitalisme, institutions, pouvoirs, Association Recherche et Régulation, vol. 26.
    18. Eckhard Hein & Christian Schoder, 2011. "Interest rates, distribution and capital accumulation -- A post-Kaleckian perspective on the US and Germany," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(6), pages 693-723, November.
    19. Gahn, Santiago José, 2021. "On the adjustment of capacity utilisation to aggregate demand: Revisiting an old Sraffian critique to the Neo-Kaleckian model," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 325-360.
    20. Eckhard Hein, 2016. "Secular stagnation or stagnation policy? Steindl after Summers," PSL Quarterly Review, Economia civile, vol. 69(276), pages 3-47.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Kaleckian growth model; Harrodian instability; stationary utilization rate; effective demand; endogenous capital productivity; endogenous cycles;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E12 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Keynes; Keynesian; Post-Keynesian; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E16 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Social Accounting Matrix
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:imk:wpaper:104-2012. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sabine Nemitz (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/imkhbde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.