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Human capital, public debt, and economic growth: A political economy analysis

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  • Ono, Tetsuo
  • Uchida, Yuki

Abstract

This study considers the politics of public education policy in an overlapping-generations model with physical and human capital accumulation. In particular, this study examines how debt and tax financing differ in terms of growth and welfare across generations, as well as which fiscal stance voters support. The analysis shows that the growth rate in debt financing is lower than that in tax financing, and that debt financing creates a tradeoff between the present and future generations. The analysis also shows that debt financing attains slower economic growth than that realized by the choice of a social planner who cares about the welfare of all generations.

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  • Ono, Tetsuo & Uchida, Yuki, 2018. "Human capital, public debt, and economic growth: A political economy analysis," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1-14.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:57:y:2018:i:c:p:1-14
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmacro.2018.03.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Uchida, Yuki & Ono, Tetsuo, 2021. "Political economy of taxation, debt ceilings, and growth," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Takumi Motoyama, 2017. "Fiscal sustainability under physical and human capital accumulation in an overlapping generations model," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 17-05, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    3. Arawatari, Ryo & Ono, Tetsuo, 2021. "Public debt rule breaking by time-inconsistent voters," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    4. Yuki Uchida & Tetsuo Ono, 2024. "Generational Distribution of Fiscal Burdens: A Positive Analysis," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 65(1), pages 393-430, February.
    5. Takumi Motoyama, 2019. "Sustainability of public debt under physical and human capital accumulation in an overlapping generations model," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 127(1), pages 19-45, June.
    6. Mutiu Abimbola Oyinlola and Abdulfatai Adekunle Adedeji, 2020. "Enhancing Economic Growth Impact of Financial Development and Human Capital through Capital Flows in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 45(2), pages 95-114, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic growth; Human capital; Public debt; Political equilibrium;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt

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