Kaleckians describe a normal rate of capacity utilization that is subject to hysteresis effects. This means that the normal rate varies directly with the actual rate of capacity utilization, ensuring that steady-state equilibrium conditions in the Kaleckian model are fully adjusted (the actual and normal rates of capacity utilization are equalized) but without this last condition implying that the rate of capacity utilization is constant in the long run. The relationship between distribution and growth unique to the Kaleckian model is thus preserved. The hysteresis mechanism has been criticized from various quarters, however, these criticisms focusing on its alleged lack of behavioural foundations. This paper shows that consistent with the stylized facts, variation in the normal rate of capacity utilization in response to variation in the actual capacity utilization rate can be derived from the links between both variables and the volatility of the macroeconomic environment-volatility, in the presence of fundamental uncertainty, being an important reason why firms deliberately under-utilize capacity (even in the long run) in the first place. The result is an empirically-grounded behavioural foundation for hysteresis in the normal rate of capacity utilization.
July 2019. We thank Workshop participants, Marc Lavoie, Michalis Nikiforos, and two anonymous referees for their helpful comments. Any remaining errors are our own.
This work aims to investigate the effect of changes in functional income distribution on growth in Brazil from 1952 to 2017. Following the neo-Kaleckian and Supermultiplier growth and distribution theories, it is possible to obtain two types of such effects. First, a level effect, predicted by both models, establishes a direct relationship of the wage share on the level of output through changes in the components of aggregate demand. Secondly, a growth effect occurs only in the neo-Kaleckian models and is the causal relationship between the wage share and output growth through the rate of capital accumulation. We analyzed the presence of these two effects in the empirical literature and found no evidence of a long run growth regime through capital accumulation as would be expected in the neo-Kaleckian model. However, we find empirical evidence that investment is an induced component of demand as is expected in the Supermultiplier model.
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