(with Doug Bernheim), Journal of Economic Theory 47, 195-202, 1989.
Summary. This paper concerns the existence of Markov perfect equilibria in altruistic growth economies. Previous work on deterministic models has established existence only under extremely restrictive conditions. We show that the introduction of production uncertainly yields an existence theorem for aggregative infinite horizon models with very general forms of altruism.
(with Doug Bernheim), Review of Economic Studies 54, 227-243, 1987.
Summary. We consider the properties of equilibrium behavior in an aggregative growth model with intergenerational altruism. Various positive properties such as the cyclicity of equilibrium programs, and the convergence of equilibrium stocks to a steady state, are analyzed. Among other normative properties, it is established that under certain natural conditions, Nash equilibrium programs are efficient and “modified Pareto optimal”, in a sense made clear in the paper, but never Pareto optimal in the traditional sense.
(with Partha Dasgupta), Economic Journal 97, 177-188, 1987.
Summary. This is the second part of a two-part article which develops a theory of involuntary unemployment and the incidence of undernourishment, relates these in turn to the production and distribution of income, and ultimately to the distribution of productive assets. In this part, we study policy options such as land reform.
Journal of Economic Theory 41, 112-132, 1987.
Summary. The paper develops a concept of equilibrium behaviour in a model of nonpaternalistic intergenerational altruism. When each generation’s utility depends on that of at least two successors, equilibria may be inefficient.
(with Partha Dasgupta), Economic Journal 96, 1011-1034, 1986.
Summary. This is the first part of a two-part article which develops a theory of involuntary unemployment and the incidence of undernourishment, relates these in turn to the production and distribution of income, and ultimately to the distribution of productive assets. In this part, we study the general equilibrium of such a framework and describe its properties.
(with Doug Bernheim), Review of Economic Studies 53, 877-882, 1986.
(with Partha Dasgupta), in I.S. Gulati and M. Shroff (eds.), Economic Theory and Underdevelopment: Essays in Honour of I.G. Patel, 1986.
Summary. An initial, sketchy version of the Dasgupta-Ray papers on involntary unemployment and undernutrition.
Journal of Economic Theory 33, 72-87, 1984.
Summary. Consider an agent who is attempting to maintain a given consumption level over time. in the face of a stochastic technology. He is permitted to borrow and lend at given rates of interest. The main results are: (i) if the borrowing rate of interest exceeds the lending rate. the expected net indebtedness of the agent must grow unboundedly large, unless the consumption target is attainable with at most one loan, and (ii) the probabilities of the two events: becoming increasingly indebted, and accumulating unbounded wealth, sum to unity.
International Economic Review 25, 275-295, 1984.
Summary. This paper studies a small open economy with steadily rising prices of an imported resource. Consider any consumption plan, such as one that involves a minimum consumption (“survival”) or growth at some arithmetic or proportional rate. For any such plan, a criterion is provided, involving the plan itself, the resource price path, and the technology, which will permit a “planner” to deduce whether this plan is feasible. Choice among these plans requires, of course, a sharper ethical criterion.
(with Tapan Mitra), Zeitschrift für Nationalökonomie / Journal of Economics, 44, 151-175, 1984.
Summary. This paper studies a model of intertemporal accumulation with a non-convex technology that could also have kinks.