A theory of the competitive saving motive

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Du, Qingyuan; Wei, Shang-Jin
• 署名单位: Monash University; Columbia University; National Bureau of Economic Research
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-1996
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2013.09.003
• 发表日期: 2013
• 页码: 275-289
• 关键词: Surplus men; Savings race; Trade surplus; Global imbalances

摘要

Motivated by recent empirical work, this paper formalizes a theory of competitive savings an arms race in household savings for mating competition that is made more fierce by an increase in the male-to-female ratio in the pre-marital cohort. Relative to the empirical work, the theory can clarify a number of important questions: What determines the strength of the savings response by males (or households with a son)? Can women (or households with a daughter) dis-save? What are the conditions under which aggregate savings would go up in response to a higher sex ratio? This theory can potentially help to understand the savings patterns in China, India, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, and other economies that have experienced a dramatic increase in the pre-marital sex ratio. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.