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On the Time Inconsistency of Optimal Monetary and Fiscal Policies With Many Consumer Goods

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  • Begoña Dominguez
  • Pedro Gomis-Porqueras

Abstract

This paper studies optimal monetary and fiscal policies in an economy à la Lucas and Stokey (1983) and Lagos and Wright (2005) with multiple cash and credit goods. We show that optimal policies are in general time inconsistent due to insufficient number of instruments to influence future government decisions. There are two important cases where time consistency can be restored. First, if taxes in the decentralized anonymous markets are not available, the multipliers on the decentralization constraints can be utilized as additional instruments to ensure time consistency. Second, if taxes in decentralized markets are available, time consistency arises when the different cash goods satisfy the conditions necessary for optimal uniform taxation.

Suggested Citation

  • Begoña Dominguez & Pedro Gomis-Porqueras, 2012. "On the Time Inconsistency of Optimal Monetary and Fiscal Policies With Many Consumer Goods," Monash Economics Working Papers 31-12, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mos:moswps:2012-31
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    optimal policy; time consistency; taxation; money; inflation; search.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C70 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - General
    • E40 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - General
    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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