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Wealth inequality and dynamic stability

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Author Info
Christian Ghiglino

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Abstract

In this paper we explore the link between wealth inequality and stability in a two-sector neoclassical growth model with heterogeneous agents. The stability of the steady state depends on the various parameters of the model and in particular on individual preferences. We show that when consumers have identical preferences and the inverse of absolute risk aversion (or risk tolerance) is a strictly convex function, inequality is a factor that favors instability. In the opposite case, inequality favors stability. Our characterization also shows that whenever absolute risk tolerance is linear, as when preferences exhibit hyperbolic absolute risk aversion (HARA), wealth heterogeneity is neutral. As there is not yet evidence on the concavity of absolute risk tolerance, our results unfortunately do not lead to a unique conclusion on the sign of the effect of wealth inequality on stability.

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Paper provided by Universitaet Bern, Departement Volkswirtschaft in its series Diskussionsschriften with number dp0310.

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Date of creation: Aug 2003
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Handle: RePEc:ube:dpvwib:dp0310

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Related research
Keywords: Economic growth; Heterogeneity; Wealth and Income Inequality; Instability;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D30 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - General
D50 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - General
D90 - Microeconomics - - Intertemporal Choice and Growth - - - General
O41 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Carroll, Christopher D & Kimball, Miles S, 1996. "On the Concavity of the Consumption Function," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(4), pages 981-92, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Benabou, R., 1996. "Unequal Societies," Working Papers 96-17, C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics, New York University. [Downloadable!]
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  3. Boldrin, Michele & Deneckere, Raymond J., 1990. "Sources of complex dynamics in two-sector growth models," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 14(3-4), pages 627-653, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Philippe Aghion & Eve Caroli & Cecilia Garcia-Penalosa, 1999. "Inequality and Economic Growth: The Perspective of the New Growth Theories," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(4), pages 1615-1660, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  5. Huggett, Mark & Vidon, Edouard, 2002. "Precautionary wealth accumulation: a positive third derivative is not enough," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 76(3), pages 323-329, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  6. 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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  7. 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)
  8. 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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  9. 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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  1. Stefano Bosi & Thomas Seegmuller, 2006. "Can heterogeneous preferences stabilize endogenous fluctuations ?," Cahiers de la Maison des Sciences Economiques v06082, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1). [Downloadable!]
  2. 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!]
  3. Stefano Bosi & Thomas Seegmuller, 2008. "Can Heterogeneous Preferences Stabilize Endogenous Fluctuations?," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00266713_v1, HAL. [Downloadable!]
  4. Christian Ghiglino & Alain Venditti, 2008. "The role of the wealth distribution on output volatility," Economics Discussion Papers 653, University of Essex, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Christian Ghiglino & Marielle Olszak-Duquenne, 2004. "On the Impact of Heterogeneity on Indeterminacy," Cahiers du Département d'Econométrie 2004.09, Département d'Econométrie, Université de Genève. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Ingolf Schwarz, 2006. "Monetary Equilibria in a Baumol-Tobin Economy," Working Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2006_15, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods. [Downloadable!]
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