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Unemployment Insurance in Chile: Does it Stabilize the Business Cycle?

Author

Listed:
  • Rodrigo Cerda

    (Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.)

  • Rodrigo Vergara

    (Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.)

Abstract

We explore the stabilizing effects of unemployment insurance in Chile. A dynamic general equilibrium model is calibrated for the Chilean economy for the 1960-2000 period. We assume that the economy is subject to exogenous technological shocks and that a fraction of the population is liquidity constrained. Our main conclusion is that unemployment insurance has some stabilizing effect on the business cycle, especially on consumption, but that this effect is of the second order of magnitude. We also find that the larger the fraction of the population that is liquidity constrained, the more likely the program is welfare improving. Our results suggest that the objective of stabilizing the business cycle would be more efficiently achieved using alternative instruments.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodrigo Cerda & Rodrigo Vergara, 2005. "Unemployment Insurance in Chile: Does it Stabilize the Business Cycle?," Documentos de Trabajo 302, Instituto de Economia. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile..
    • Handle: RePEc:ioe:doctra:302
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rómulo A. Chumacero & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel, 2005. "General Equilibrium Models: An Overview," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Rómulo A. Chumacero & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (S (ed.),General Equilibrium Models for the Chilean Economy, edition 1, volume 9, chapter 1, pages 001-027, Central Bank of Chile.
    2. David Easley & Nicholas M. Kiefer & Uri Possen, 1985. "An Equilibrium Analysis of Optimal Unemployment Insurance and Taxation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 100(Supplemen), pages 989-1010.
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    4. Enrique G. Mendoza & Katherine A. Smith, 2002. "Margin Calls, Trading Costs, and Asset Prices in Emerging Markets: The Finanical Mechanics of the 'Sudden Stop' Phenomenon," NBER Working Papers 9286, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Kenneth L. Judd, 1998. "Numerical Methods in Economics," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262100711, December.
    6. Hansen, Gary D & Imrohoroglu, Ayse, 1992. "The Role of Unemployment Insurance in an Economy with Liquidity Constraints and Moral Hazard," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(1), pages 118-142, February.
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    10. Imrohoruglu, Ayse, 1989. "Cost of Business Cycles with Indivisibilities and Liquidity Constraints," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(6), pages 1364-1383, December.
    11. Beaudry, Paul & Pages, Carmen, 2001. "The cost of business cycles and the stabilization value of unemployment insurance," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 1545-1572, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rodrigo Cerda & Fernando Coloma, 2009. "Estudio Actuarial de los Fondos de Cesantía 2008," Working Papers 33, Superintendencia de Pensiones, revised Sep 2009.
    2. Solange Berstein & Eduardo Fajnzylber & Pamela Gana & Isabel Poblete, 2007. "Cinco Años de Funcionamiento del Seguro de Cesantía en Chile," Working Papers 23, Superintendencia de Pensiones, revised Dec 2007.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unemployment insurance; business cycle;

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings

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