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The long–run macroeconomic impacts of fuel subsidies

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  • Michael D. Plante

Abstract

Many developing and emerging market countries have subsidies on fuel products. Using a small open economy model with a non-traded sector I show how these subsidies impact the steady state levels of macroeconomic aggregates such as consumption, labor supply, and aggregate welfare. These subsidies can lead to crowding out of non-oil consumption, inefficient inter-sectoral allocations of labor, and other distortions in macroeconomic variables. Across steady states aggregate welfare is reduced by these subsidies. This result holds for a country with no oil production and for a net exporter of oil. The distortions in relative prices introduced by the subsidy create most of the welfare losses. How the subsidy is financed is of secondary importance. Aggregate welfare is significantly higher if the subsidies are replaced by lump-sum transfers of equal value.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael D. Plante, 2013. "The long–run macroeconomic impacts of fuel subsidies," Working Papers 1303, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:feddwp:1303
    DOI: 10.24149/wp1303
    Note: Published as: Plante, Michael (2014), "The Long–run Macroeconomic Impacts of Fuel Subsidies," Journal of Development Economics 107: 129-143.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal; policy;

    JEL classification:

    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H30 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - General

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