A game-theoretic analysis of fiscal policy under economic growth from the perspective of MMT

Tanaka, Yasuhito (2021): A game-theoretic analysis of fiscal policy under economic growth from the perspective of MMT.

Abstract

We present a game-theoretic analysis of fiscal policy under economic growth from the perspective of MMT using a simple two-periods overlapping generations (OLG) model. We show the following results. 1) Sustained budget deficits are necessary to maintain full-employment under economic growth driven by technological progress. 2) An excessive budget deficit triggers inflation, and after one period inflation full-employment is maintained by sustained budget deficits with constant price. 3) Insufficient government deficit causes involuntary unemployment, and we need extra budget deficit over its steady state value to recover full-employment. These budget deficits need not be, and must not be redeemed. Therefore, if it is institutionally and legally possible, they should be financed by seigniorage not by public debt.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Overlapping generations model, Full-employment, Budget deficit, Growth, MMT
• Subjects: E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E1 - General Aggregative Models > E12 - Keynes ; Keynesian ; Post-Keynesian; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E2 - Consumption, Saving, Production, Investment, Labor Markets, and Informal Economy > E24 - Employment ; Unemployment ; Wages ; Intergenerational Income Distribution ; Aggregate Human Capital ; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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