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Have the Early Coordination Failures Models Achieved Keynes's Programme ?

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  • Michel De Vroey

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to assess how three seminal coordination failure models (Diamond ([1982] [1991]), Howitt [1985] and Roberts [1987]) have fared against ?Keynes?s programme?. The first part of the paper characterises Keynes?s programme as consisting of the following four objectives: (a) demonstrating the existence of involuntary unemployment, (b) demonstrating that wage rigidity can be exonerated as its cause, (c) giving a general equilibrium interdependency explanation of the phenomenon within a perfect competition framework, and (d) demonstrating that demand stimulation is the proper remedy to suppress involuntary unemployment. In a second part, I claim that no correct assessment of Keynes?s programme can be made without drawing a distinction between involuntary unemployment and underemployment. These prerequisites being settled, in part three I undertake the study of the three models to conclude that none of them succeed in achieving Keynes? programme in its entirety. In the last part of the paper, I raise the issue as to whether Keynesian economists should continue to fight for the involuntary unemployment concept.

Suggested Citation

  • Michel De Vroey, 2005. "Have the Early Coordination Failures Models Achieved Keynes's Programme ?," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 115(4), pages 417-436.
    • Handle: RePEc:cai:repdal:redp_154_0417
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Weitzman, Martin L, 1982. "Increasing Returns and the Foundations of Unemployment Theory," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 92(368), pages 787-804, December.
    2. Michel, DE VROEY, 2005. "Involuntary Unemployment : the Elusive Quest for a Theory," Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) 2005004, Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques.
    3. Leijonhufvud, Axel, 1983. "What would Keynes have thought of rational expectations?," Discussion Papers, Series I 177, University of Konstanz, Department of Economics.
    4. Russell Cooper & Andrew John, 1988. "Coordinating Coordination Failures in Keynesian Models," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 103(3), pages 441-463.
    5. Shapiro, Carl & Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1985. "Can Unemployment Be Involuntary? Reply [Equilibrium Unemployemnt as a Worker Discipline Device]," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(5), pages 1215-1217, December.
    6. Peter Howitt, 1986. "The Keynesian Recovery," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 19(4), pages 626-641, November.
    7. Howitt, Peter, 1985. "Transaction Costs in the Theory of Unemployment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(1), pages 88-100, March.
    8. J. A. Kregel, 1987. "The Effective Demand Approach to Employment and Inflation Analysis," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 133-145, September.
    9. Roberts, John, 1987. "An Equilibrium Model with Involuntary Unemployment at Flexible, Competitive Prices and Wages," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(5), pages 856-874, December.
    10. Peter Howitt, 2002. "Looking Inside the Labor Market: A Review Article," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(1), pages 125-138, March.
    11. Drazen, Allan, 1987. "Reciprocal externality models of low employment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-2), pages 436-443.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    involuntary unemployment; coordination failures; Keynes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B22 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Macroeconomics
    • E12 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Keynes; Keynesian; Post-Keynesian; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E20 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)

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