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An Analysis of U.S. Postwar Consumption and Saving: Part II -- Empirical Results

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  • Michael J. Boskin
  • Lawrence J. Lau

Abstract

A new empirical analysis of aggregate United States consumption and saving for the period 1947-80 is presented. The model is based on the theory of exact aggregation. It recognizes explicitly that households with different characteristics may be heterogeneous in their behavior and that aggregate behavior may depend on the changing composition of households by characteristics and therefore may not be adequately portrayed by a representative consumer, but otherwise it imposes minimal assumptions on household behavior. The model integrates longitudinal and cross-sectional microeconomic data on household characteristics with the traditional aggregate time-series data. Various hypotheses on consumption, such as age independence, proportionality to wealth, and price independence, are tested , and rejected. Strong evidence of relative price effects and a systematic variation of aggregate consumption with changing age distribution of wealth in the economy is found. Especially important is the substantial estimated difference in the shares of wealth consumed between households headed by persons born prior to and those born after 1939. One important lesson from this study is that modeling the aggregate U.S. economy as a representative consumer may give rise to misleading results.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael J. Boskin & Lawrence J. Lau, 1988. "An Analysis of U.S. Postwar Consumption and Saving: Part II -- Empirical Results," NBER Working Papers 2606, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:2606
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jorgen Jacobsen, Hans, 2000. "Endogenous, imperfectly competitive business cycles," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 305-336, February.
    2. Jagadeesh Gokhale & Laurence J. Kotlikoff & John Sabelhaus, 1996. "Understanding the Postwar Decline in U.S. Saving: A Cohort Analysis," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 27(1), pages 315-407.
    3. Kaiji Chen & Ayse Imrohoroglu & Selahattin Imrohoroglu, 2006. "Secular Movements in U.S. Saving and Consumption," 2006 Meeting Papers 154, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    4. Jagadeesh Gokhale & Laurence J. Kotlikoff & John Edward Sabelhaus, 1995. "Understanding the postwar decline in United States saving: a cohort analysis," Working Papers (Old Series) 9518, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    5. Chen, Kaiji & Imrohoroglu, Ayse & Imrohoroglu, Selahattin, 2009. "A quantitative assessment of the decline in the U.S. current account," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(8), pages 1135-1147, November.

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