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Capital and income inequality: An aggregate-demand complementarity

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Bilbiie, Florin O 
Känzig, Diego R 
Surico, Paolo 

Abstract

A novel complementarity between capital and income inequality leads to a significant amplification of the effects of aggregate-demand shocks on consumption. We characterize this finding using a simple model with heterogeneity in household saving and income, nominal rigidities, and capital. A fiscal policy that redistributes capital income causes further amplification, whereas redistributing profits generates dampening. After an interest rate shock, consumption inequality is more countercyclical than income inequality, consistent with the available empirical evidence. Procyclical investment also requires a more aggressive Taylor rule in order to attain determinacy, and aggravates the forward guidance puzzle.

Description

Keywords

38 Economics, 3801 Applied Economics, 3802 Econometrics, 3803 Economic Theory, 10 Reduced Inequalities

Journal Title

Journal of Monetary Economics

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0304-3932

Volume Title

126

Publisher

Elsevier BV