Danyang Xie

Beyond balanced growth

Balanced growth models are commonly used in macroeconomics because they are consistent with the well-known Kaldor facts regarding economic growth. These models, however, are inconsistent with one of the most striking regularities of the growth process—the massive reallocation of labour from agriculture into manufacturing and services. This paper presents a simple model consistent with both the Kaldor facts and the dynamics of sectoral labour reallocation.

On the optimality of interest rate smoothing

This paper studies some continuous-time cash-in-advance models in which interest rate smoothing is optimal. We consider both deterministic and stochastic models. In the stochastic case we obtain two results of independent interest: (i) we study what is, to our knowledge, the only version of the neoclassical model under uncertainty that can be solved in closed form in continuous time; and (ii) we show how to characterize the competitive equilibrium of a stochastic continuous time model that cannot be computed by solving a planning problem. We also discuss the scope for monetary policy to improve welfare in an economy with a suboptimal real competitive equilibrium, focusing on the particular example of an economy with externalities.

Dynamics of income distribution

In this paper, we have obtained closed-form solutions in Cass-Koopmans growth models with heterogeneous agents. The relationship between the form of production function and the dynamics of income distribution is made explicit. We then use this relationship to determine what production structure is simultaneously consistent with facts on growth and income inequality. Our empirical findings give support to models with decreasing returns in the reproducible factor.

Should public capital be subsidized or provided

In an endogenous-growth model, we consider alternative ways of providing public capital using distortionary taxes. We show that if the government provides the good, the resulting growth rate and welfare may or may not be higher than under laissez-faire. By contrast, if the government subsidizes private providers, not only are growth and welfare higher than under public provision, they are also unambiguously higher than under laissez-faire.

Monetary Policy and Economic Growth Under Money Illusion

Empirical and experimental evidence documents that money illusion is persistent and widespread. This paper incorporates money illusion into two stochastic continuous-time monetary models of endogenous growth. Motivated by psychology, we model an agents money illusion behavior by assuming that he maximizes nonstandard utility derived from both nominal and real quantities. Money illusion affects an agents perception of the growth and riskiness of real wealth and distorts his consumption/savings decisions. It influences long-run growth via this channel. We show that the welfare cost of money illusion is second order, whereas its impact on long-run growth is first order relative to the degree of money illusion. A monetary policy can eliminate this cost by correcting the distortions on a money-illusioned agents consumption/savings decisions.

MODIS: A Market-Oriented Deposit Insurance Scheme

This paper argues that an optimal deposit insurance scheme would allow the level of insurance coverage to be determined by the market. Based on this principle, the paper proposes an insurance scheme that minimizes distortions and embodies fairness and credibility, two essential characteristics of a viable and effective deposit insurance scheme. Using a simple model for the determination of the optimal level of insurance coverage, it is shown that the optimal coverage is higher for developing compared to developed countries; a condition that is broadly satisfied by prevailing deposit insurance practices around the world.

Toward a Theory of Asset Subscription

This paper develops an understanding toward a theory of asset subscription. When a firm needs to raise cash from an asset that is too large or too risky for a single individual or financial institution so that an auction method is not applicable, the firm may use a subscription scheme. In this paper, we discuss a Nash subscription (NS) scheme and a sequential subscription (SS) scheme. We characterize the optimal strategy when the value of the asset is known. The comparison between a NS and a SS is provided. The difference between an auction scheme and a subscription scheme is discussed.