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Myopia and Inconsistency in the Neoclassical Growth Model

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Robert J. Barro

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Abstract

The neoclassical growth model is modified to allow for a non-constant rate of time" preference. If the household cannot commit future choices of consumption and if utility is" logarithmic, then an equilibrium is found that resembles the standard results of the neoclassical" model. In this solution, the effective rate of time preference is high model has potentially important implications for institutional design and other policies because" households would benefit from an ability to commit future consumption there is a sense in" which the results are observationally equivalent to those of the conventional model. When the" framework is extended to allow for partial commitment ability, some testable hypotheses emerge" concerning the link between this ability and the rates of saving and growth. Steady-state results" are obtained for general concave utility functions, and some properties of the dynamic paths are" worked out for the case of isoelastic utility.

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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 6317.

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Date of creation: Dec 1997
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Publication status: published as Barro, Robert J. "Ramsey Meets Laibson In The Neoclassical Growth Model," Quarterly Journal of Economics, 1999, v114(4,Nov), 1125-1152.
Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:6317

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
O40 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomics: Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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  1. Fishburn, Peter C & Rubinstein, Ariel, 1982. "Time Preference," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 23(3), pages 677-94, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. David I. Laibson, 1996. "Hyperbolic Discount Functions, Undersaving, and Savings Policy," NBER Working Papers 5635, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Akerlof, George A, 1991. "Procrastination and Obedience," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(2), pages 1-19, May.
  4. Victor R. Fuchs, 1982. "Time Preference and Health: An Exploratory Study," NBER Working Papers 0539, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Laibson, David, 1997. "Golden Eggs and Hyperbolic Discounting," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 112(2), pages 443-77, May.
  6. Loewenstein, George & Prelec, Drazen, 1992. "Anomalies in Intertemporal Choice: Evidence and an Interpretation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 107(2), pages 573-97, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Tjalling C. Koopmans, 1959. "Stationary Ordinal Utility and Impatience," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 81, Cowles Foundation, Yale University. [Downloadable!]
  8. Gary S. Becker & Robert J. Barro, . "A Reformulation of the Economic Theory of Fertility," University of Chicago - Population Research Center 85-11, Chicago - Population Research Center. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Goldman, Steven M, 1980. "Consistent Plans," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(3), pages 533-37, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Epstein, Larry G & Hynes, J Allan, 1983. "The Rate of Time Preference and Dynamic Economic Analysis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 91(4), pages 611-35, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Tjalling C. Koopmans, 1963. "On the Concept of Optimal Economic Growth," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 163, Cowles Foundation, Yale University. [Downloadable!]
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Ducla-Soares, Maria M. & Costa-Duarte, Clara & Cunha-e-Sa, Maria A., 2001. "The Hyperbolic Forest Owner," FEUNL Working Paper Series wp405, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Economia. [Downloadable!]
  2. David Laibson & Andrea Repetto & Jeremy Tobacman, 2000. "A Debt Puzzle," Documentos de Trabajo 80, Centro de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Chile. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
    • David Laibson & Andrea Repetto & Jeremy Tobacman, 2000. "A Debt Puzzle," NBER Working Papers 7879, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Andrew Caplin & John Leahy, 2001. "The social discount rate," Discussion Paper / Institute for Empirical Macroeconomics 137, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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