Inequality, imperfect competition, and fiscal policy

Balamatsias, Pavlos (2017): Inequality, imperfect competition, and fiscal policy.

Abstract

We build an N.K. model with imperfectly competitive goods markets and heterogeneous individuals and examine their impact on fiscal multipliers and on the net increase in output and expenditure caused by fiscal policies, using the balanced budget multiplier. Results show that in highly unequal economies the maximum net increase in output and expenditure comes when governments increase expenditure and tax high-income workers because the adverse effects on the economy are smaller. However, as inequality decreases and enough people belong to the high-income group spending should be funded by taxing low-income people. Finally, inequality also affects the welfare effects of fiscal policies.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Income inequality, Fiscal multiplier, Public Expenditure, Taxation
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D63 - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E1 - General Aggregative Models > E12 - Keynes ; Keynesian ; Post-Keynesian; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E6 - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook > E62 - Fiscal Policy

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