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Inequality, Fiscal Policy and COVID19 Restrictions in a Demand-Determined Economy

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  • Alan J. Auerbach
  • Yuriy Gorodnichenko
  • Daniel Murphy

Abstract

We evaluate the effects of inequality, fiscal policy, and COVID19 restrictions in a model of economic slack with potentially rigid capital operating costs. Inequality has large negative effects on output, while also diminishing the effects of demand-side fiscal stimulus. COVID restrictions can reduce current-period GDP by more than is directly associated with the restrictions themselves when rigid capital costs induce firm exit. Higher inequality is associated with larger restriction multipliers. The effectiveness of fiscal policies depends on inequality and the joint distribution of capital operating costs and firm revenues. Furthermore, COVID19 restrictions can cause future inflation, as households tilt their expenditure toward the future.

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  • Alan J. Auerbach & Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Daniel Murphy, 2020. "Inequality, Fiscal Policy and COVID19 Restrictions in a Demand-Determined Economy," NBER Working Papers 27366, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:27366
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    Cited by:

    1. Florin O. Bilbiie & Marc J. Melitz, 2020. "Aggregate-Demand Amplification of Supply Disruptions: The Entry-Exit Multiplier," NBER Working Papers 28258, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Graham, James & Ozbilgin, Murat, 2021. "Age, industry, and unemployment risk during a pandemic lockdown," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    3. Caporale, Guglielmo Maria & Kang, Woo-Young & Spagnolo, Fabio & Spagnolo, Nicola, 2022. "The COVID-19 pandemic, policy responses and stock markets in the G20," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 77-90.
    4. Fei Guo & Isabel Kit-Ming Yan, 2021. "Fiscal Decentralization and Fiscal Multiplier in China," GRU Working Paper Series GRU_2021_026, City University of Hong Kong, Department of Economics and Finance, Global Research Unit.
    5. Miranda-Pinto, Jorge & Murphy, Daniel & Walsh, Kieran James & Young, Eric R., 2023. "Saving constraints, inequality, and the credit market response to fiscal stimulus," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    6. Evi Pappa & Andrey Ramos & Eugenia Vella, 2022. "Which crisis support fiscal measures worked during the COVID-19 shock in Europe?," DEOS Working Papers 2217, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    7. Christian Bayer & Benjamin Born & Ralph Luetticke & Gernot J Müller, 2023. "The Coronavirus Stimulus Package: How Large is the Transfer Multiplier," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(652), pages 1318-1347.
    8. Auerbach, Alan & Gorodnichenko, Yuriy & McCrory, Peter B. & Murphy, Daniel, 2022. "Fiscal multipliers in the COVID19 recession," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    9. Andrieș, Alin Marius & Ongena, Steven & Sprincean, Nicu, 2021. "The COVID-19 Pandemic and Sovereign Bond Risk," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    10. Efraim Benmelech & Nitzan Tzur-Ilan, 2020. "The Determinants of Fiscal and Monetary Policies During the Covid-19 Crisis," NBER Working Papers 27461, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Bergant, Katharina & Forbes, Kristin, 2023. "Policy packages and policy space: Lessons from COVID-19☆," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    12. Xingyuan Yao, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic and economic stimulus policy inequality: evidence from quasi-natural experiments," Working Papers 585, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    13. Juan Andres Espinosa-Torres & Jaime Ramirez-Cuellar, 2023. "The Effects of the Pandemic on Market Power and Profitability," Papers 2303.08765, arXiv.org.
    14. Chadha, Jagjit S. & Corrado, Luisa & Meaning, Jack & Schuler, Tobias, 2021. "Monetary and fiscal complementarity in the Covid-19 pandemic," Working Paper Series 2588, European Central Bank.
    15. Mr. Tidiane Kinda & Andras Lengyel & Kaustubh Chahande, 2022. "Fiscal Multipliers During Pandemics," IMF Working Papers 2022/149, International Monetary Fund.
    16. Wang, Zankai & Le, Thanh Tiep, 2022. "The COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on SMEs and travel agencies: The critical role of corporate social responsibility," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 46-58.
    17. Murphy, Daniel & Walsh, Kieran James, 2022. "Government spending and interest rates," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    18. Ablam Estel Apeti & Jean-Louis Combes & Xavier Debrun & Alexandru Minea, 2021. "Did Fiscal Space Foster Covid-19's Fiscal Stimuli ?," Post-Print hal-03351634, HAL.

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    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue

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