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Modeling intervention: The Political element in Barbara Bergmann's micro-to-macro simulation projects

Author

Listed:
  • Aurélien Goutsmedt

    (ISPOLE - UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain, F.R.S.-FNRS, UCL - U.C. Louvain)

  • Cléo Chassonnery-Zaïgouche

    (UNIBO - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna = University of Bologna)

Abstract

Over a period of twelve years, Barbara Bergmann developed several models of the labor market using microsimulation, eventually integrated in a "Transactions Model" of the entire US economy, built with Robert Bennett and published in 1986. The paper reconstructs the history of this modelling enterprise in the context of the debates on the microfoundations of macroeconomics and the role of macroeconomic expertise from the 1970s stagflation to the late 1980s. It shows how a political element-her focus on distributional effects of policies-was central to her criticism of macroeconomic modelling and how both her epistemic and political positions were increasingly marginalized in the 1980s.

Suggested Citation

  • Aurélien Goutsmedt & Cléo Chassonnery-Zaïgouche, 2023. "Modeling intervention: The Political element in Barbara Bergmann's micro-to-macro simulation projects," Working Papers hal-04208686, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-04208686
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-04208686
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Acosta, Juan & Cherrier, Beatrice, 2021. "The Transformation Of Economic Analysis At The Board Of Governors Of The Federal Reserve System During The 1960s," Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 323-349, September.
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    6. Aurélien Goutsmedt & Erich Pinzón-Fuchs & Matthieu Renault & Francesco Sergi, 2019. "Reacting to the Lucas Critique: The Keynesians' Replies," Post-Print hal-03878386, HAL.
    7. Aurélien Goutsmedt & Danielle Guizzo & Francesco Sergi, 2019. "An Agenda without a Plan. Robert E. Lucas’s Trajectory through the Public Debate [Un programme sans plan. La trajectoire de Robert E. Lucas à travers le débat public]," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-03228955, HAL.
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