Welfare state dynamics

Abstract

The goal in the present paper is twofold, to shed some light on endogenous dynamic of the welfare states, and to provide a procedure to select among several equilibria. To this end, a dynamic model is presented, in which private agents are assumed to be "locked" to current decisions for a while. If "frictions" are large enough, the economy might exhibit more than one stable Paretorankable stationary state. Equilibrium paths would then be determined by history. The economy might become "stuck" at an inferior stationary state, with too much insurance and too little effort.