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Reflections on Ricardian Equivalence

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  • Robert J. Barro

Abstract

The Ricardian equivalence proposition for public debt in my 1974 JPE paper is related to the discussions in Ricardo's Funding System, Smith's Wealth of Nations, and a number of treatments in macroeconomics from the 1950s to the 1970s. Useful extensions of the basic invariance proposition involve tax smoothing (in the context of distorting taxation) and the determinants of the maturity and other characteristics of the debt structure (in an environment of uncertainty).

Suggested Citation

  • Robert J. Barro, 1996. "Reflections on Ricardian Equivalence," NBER Working Papers 5502, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:5502
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zijun Wang & Andrew J. Rettenmaier, 2008. "Deficits, Explicit Debt, Implicit Debt, and Interest Rates: Some Empirical Evidence," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 75(1), pages 208-222, July.
    2. Joscha Beckmann & Robert L Czudaj & Georgios Kouretas, 2021. "Fiscal policy uncertainty and its effects on the real economy: German evidence," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 73(4), pages 1516-1535.
    3. Yang-Ming Chang, 2012. "Strategic transfers, redistributive fiscal policies, and family bonds: a micro-economic analysis," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 25(4), pages 1481-1502, October.
    4. Gabriel Di Bella, 2002. "The Significance of Federal Taxes as Automatic Stabilizers," IMF Working Papers 2002/199, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Hannes Kaadu & Lenno Uuskula, 2004. "Liquidity Constrains and Ricardian Equivalence in Estonia," Bank of Estonia Working Papers 2004-7, Bank of Estonia, revised 10 Oct 2004.
    6. Shinichi Nishiyama & Kent Smetters, 2002. "Ricardian Equivalence with Incomplete Household Risk Sharing," NBER Working Papers 8851, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Daniel Ştefan BELINGHER, 2016. "A Three-Dimensional Approach On The Ricardian Equivalence In Romania," Romanian Economic Business Review, Romanian-American University, vol. 11(2), pages 112-122, June.
    8. Hlongwane, Nyiko Worship & Daw, Olebogeng David, 2022. "Determinants of public debt in South Africa: A Regime-Switching Approach," MPRA Paper 113203, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Gianluigi Giorgioni & Ken Holden, 2003. "Ricardian equivalence, expansionary fiscal contraction and the stock market: a VECM approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(12), pages 1435-1443.
    10. Jorge Iván González, 2002. "James Tobin (1918-2002)," Revista de Economía Institucional, Universidad Externado de Colombia - Facultad de Economía, vol. 4(6), pages 200-221, January-J.
    11. Artidiatun Adji & James Alm & Paul J. Ferraro, 2009. "Experimental tests of Ricardian equivalence with distortionary versus nondistortionary taxes," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 29(4), pages 2556-2572.
    12. Aaron Drew & Ben Hunt, 1998. "The Forecasting and Policy System: stochastic simulations of the core model," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Discussion Paper Series G98/6, Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
    13. Willem Vanlaer & Samantha Bielen & Wim Marneffe, 2020. "Consumer Confidence and Household Saving Behaviors: A Cross-Country Empirical Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 677-721, January.
    14. Willem Vanlaer & Wim Marneffe & Lode Vereeck & Johan Vanovertveldt, 2015. "Does debt predict growth? An empirical analysis of the relationship between total debt and economic output," European Journal of Government and Economics, Europa Grande, vol. 4(2), pages 79-103, December.
    15. Piotr Ciżkowicz & Andrzej Rzońca, 2011. "Mechanizmy oddziaływania deficytu fiskalnego na wzrost gospodarki," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 10, pages 1-20.
    16. Francesco Forte & Cosimo Magazzino, 2013. "Twin Deficits in the European Countries," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 19(3), pages 289-310, August.
    17. Willem Vanlaer & Mattia Picarelli & Wim Marneffe, 2021. "Debt and Private Investment: Does the EU Suffer from a Debt Overhang?," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 789-820, September.
    18. António Afonso, 2001. "Government indebtedness and european consumers behaviour," Working Papers Department of Economics 2001/12, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Department of Economics, Universidade de Lisboa.
    19. Puonti, Päivi, 2022. "Public Debt and Economic Growth," ETLA Reports 127, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    20. Jesús Crespo Cuaresma & Gerhard Reitschuler, 2007. "Is the Ricardian Equivalence Proposition an ‘Aerie Fairy’ Theory for Europe?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 74(296), pages 682-694, November.
    21. Dimitrios DIMITRIOU & Anastasios PAPPAS, 2018. "The fiscal policy impact to the Greek economy: Asymmetric evidence from a switching regime approach," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, KSP Journals, vol. 5(1), pages 121-131, March.
    22. Yang-Ming Chang, 2009. "Strategic altruistic transfers and rent seeking within the family," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 22(4), pages 1081-1098, October.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H6 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt
    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook

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