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Difference or Ratio: Implications of Status Preference on Stagnation

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  • Yoshiyasu Ono
  • Katsunori Yamada

Abstract

We consider a dynamic macroeconomic model where households derive utility from wealth comparisons. Measure of relative affluence can be the ratio to, or the difference from, the social average. These two specifications lead to quite different equilibrium consequences: under the ratio specification full employment is always realised, whereas under the difference specification persistent shortage of aggregate demand can result. Using data of an experiment on status concern, we empirically find that the difference specification of relative affluence fits the data better than the ratio specification. Our work may help in understanding mechanisms behind recent stagnation in developed economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Yoshiyasu Ono & Katsunori Yamada, 2018. "Difference or Ratio: Implications of Status Preference on Stagnation," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 346-362, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausecp:v:57:y:2018:i:3:p:346-362
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8454.12128
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    Cited by:

    1. Michau, Jean-Baptiste & Ono, Yoshiyasu & Schlegl, Matthias, 2023. "Wealth preference and rational bubbles," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    2. Sanjay R. Singh & Pablo Cuba-Borda, 2019. "Understanding Persistent Stagnation," Working Papers 329, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics.
    3. Pablo Cuba-Borda & Sanjay R. Singh, 2024. "Understanding Persistent ZLB: Theory and Assessment," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 16(3), pages 389-416, July.
    4. Qichun He & Yulei Luo & Jun Nie & Heng-fu Zou, 2023. "Money, Growth, and Welfare in a Schumpeterian Model with the Spirit of Capitalism," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 47, pages 346-372, January.
    5. He Nie & Jordan Roulleau-Pasdeloup, 2023. "The promises (and perils) of control-contingent forward guidance," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 49, pages 77-98, July.
    6. Ikefuji, Masako & Ono, Yoshiyasu, 2021. "Environmental policies in a stagnant economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    7. Wang, Gaowang & Zou, Heng-fu, 2025. "Romer Meets Weber-Schumpeter: The Spirit of Capitalism, Entrepreneurial Drive and Long-Run Growth," MPRA Paper 126518, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Daisuke Matsuzaki & Yoshiyasu Ono, 2023. "Economic stimulus effects of product innovation under demand stagnation," ISER Discussion Paper 1204, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    9. Pascal Michaillat & Emmanuel Saez, 2021. "Resolving New Keynesian Anomalies with Wealth in the Utility Function," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 103(2), pages 197-215, May.
    10. Thomas Aronsson & Sugata Ghosh & Ronald Wendner, 2023. "Positional preferences and efficiency in a dynamic economy," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 61(2), pages 311-337, August.
    11. Daisuke Matsuzaki & Yoshiyasu Ono, 2023. "Economic stimulus effects of product innovation under demand stagnation," ISER Discussion Paper 1204r, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University, revised Jul 2023.
    12. Pascal Michaillat & Emmanuel Saez, 2015. "The Optimal Use of Government Purchases for Stabilization," NBER Working Papers 21322, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Murota, Ryu-ichiro, 2019. "Negative interest rate policy in a permanent liquidity trap," MPRA Paper 93498, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Hashimoto, Ken-ichi & Ono, Yoshiyasu, 2020. "A simple aggregate demand analysis with dynamic optimization in a small open economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 89-99.
    15. Xu, Shaojun, 2023. "Behavioral asset pricing under expected feedback mode," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    16. Kazuma Inagaki, & Yoshiyasu Ono & Takayuki Tsuruga, 2022. "Accounting for the slowdown in output growth after the Great Recession: A wealth preference approach," ISER Discussion Paper 1174, Institute of Social and Economic Research, The University of Osaka.
    17. Murota, Ryu-ichiro, 2022. "The effect of a decline in the world real interest rate on a small open economy experiencing persistent stagnation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    18. Pascal Michaillat & Emmanuel Saez, 2022. "An economical business-cycle model [Breaking through the zero lower bound]," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 74(2), pages 382-411.
    19. Daisuke Matsuzaki & Yoshiyasu Ono, 2025. "Economic Stimulus Effects of Product Innovation Under Demand Stagnation," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 27(6), December.

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