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Capital Accumulation in an Economy with Dynasties and Uncertain Lifetimes

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  • Luisa Fuster

    (Universitat Pompeu Fabra and University of Western Ontario)

Abstract

This paper studies how the lack of an annuities market affects savings behavior and intergenerational transfers in a dynastic overlapping generations economy. I find that the answer to this question depends crucially on altruism. On the one hand, if the altruistic bequest motive is operative, then the lack of annuity markets enhances capital accumulation. On the other hand, if the altruistic bequest motive is not operative, the absence of annuity markets can either increase of decrease aggregate savings. I characterize under which conditions capital accumulation is enhanced. I also prove that an overlapping generations economy with altruism and uninsurable lifetime risk faces capital overaccumulation relative to the Modified Golden rule. The efficient allocation corresponding to the Modified Golden rule can be decentralized as a competitive equilibrium by a pay-as-you-go social security system, and this can only be done if individuals are altruistic. (Copyright: Elsevier)

Suggested Citation

  • Luisa Fuster, 2000. "Capital Accumulation in an Economy with Dynasties and Uncertain Lifetimes," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 3(4), pages 650-674, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:issued:v:3:y:2000:i:4:p:650-674
    DOI: 10.1006/redy.1999.0086
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    Cited by:

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    2. Andrés Erosa & Tatyana Koreshkova & Diego Restuccia, 2010. "How Important Is Human Capital? A Quantitative Theory Assessment of World Income Inequality," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 77(4), pages 1421-1449.
    3. Abdelkrim Seghir & Juan Torres-Martínez, 2008. "Wealth transfers and the role of collateral when lifetimes are uncertain," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 36(3), pages 471-502, September.
    4. Andres Erosa & Tatyana Koreshkova & Diego Restuccia, 2006. "On the aggregate and distributional implications of productivity differences across countries," Working Paper 06-02, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
    5. Francis, Johanna L., 2009. "Wealth and the capitalist spirit," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 394-408, September.
    6. Dilip Mookherjee & debraj Ray, 2005. "Occupational Diversity and Endogenous Inequality," Boston University - Department of Economics - The Institute for Economic Development Working Papers Series dp-142, Boston University - Department of Economics.
    7. Sven H. Sinclair & Kent A. Smetters, 2004. "Health Shocks and the Demand for Annuities: Technical Paper 2004-09," Working Papers 15868, Congressional Budget Office.
    8. Dilip Mookherjee & Debraj Ray, 2010. "Inequality and Markets: Some Implications of Occupational Diversity," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(4), pages 38-76, November.
    9. Zaigui Yang, 2016. "Population Aging And Public Pension: The Case Of Beijing Analyzed By An Olg Model," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 61(04), pages 1-14, September.
    10. Jess Benhabib & Shenghao Zhu, 2008. "Age, Luck, and Inheritance," NBER Working Papers 14128, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Nicolas Drouhin, 2001. "Lifetime Uncertainty and Time Preference," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 145-172, December.
    12. Yang Zaigui, 2008. "Population Growth Rate, Life Expectancy and Pension Program Improvement in China," Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance, De Gruyter, vol. 2(2), pages 1-13, March.
    13. Emmanuel Thibault, 2008. "Dynamic efficiency and intergenerational altruism," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 11(3), pages 679-687, July.
    14. Laps, Jochen, 2015. "Fully Funded Social Security Pensions, Lifetime Risk and Income," Working Papers 0603, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    15. Ana I. Moro-Egido, 2004. "Educational System, Altruism and Inequality in the Distribution of Income," Economic Working Papers at Centro de Estudios Andaluces E2004/46, Centro de Estudios Andaluces.

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