A General Equilibrium Expression of the Paradox of Thrift

Christophe Chamley ()

No 700, Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers from Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University

Abstract: A model is presented which is derived from some observations of Keynes on the nature of capital. The allocation of investment is analyzed in two economies with random demand shocks which are identical except for the types of markets. In the first, the combination of an asset and forward markets realizes the complete set of markets. In the second, the forward markets are replaced by spot markets. Consumers and entrepreneurs are rational and markets clear. A clear definition of the paradox of thrift is proposed and its existence is proven. The substitution of spot markets for forward markets generates fluctuations of the aggregate variables. The equilibrium with fluctuations is not always a constrained Pareto optimum.

Pages: 43 pages
Date: 1984-05
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://cowles.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/pub/d07/d0700.pdf (application/pdf)
Our link check indicates that this URL is bad, the error code is: 404 Not Found

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cwl:cwldpp:700

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
Cowles Foundation, Yale University, Box 208281, New Haven, CT 06520-8281 USA
The price is None.

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers from Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University Yale University, Box 208281, New Haven, CT 06520-8281 USA. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Brittany Ladd ().