Standard real business cycle theory predicts that consumption should be smoother than output, as observed in developed countries. In emerging economies, however, consumption is more volatile than income. In this paper the authors provide a novel explanation of this phenomenon, the ‘consumption...

Four stylized facts motivate this paper: (i) business cycle movements are wider in emerging countries (EC) than in developed ones; (ii) EC experience greater economic policy uncertainty; (iii) EC are more polarized and less politically stable; and (iv) EPU is positively related to political...

Standard real business cycle theory predicts that consumption should be smoother than output, as observed in developed countries. In emerging economies, however, consumption is more volatile than income. In this paper the authors provide a novel explanation of this phenomenon, the ‘consumption...

Standard real business cycle theory predicts that consumption should be smoother than output, as observed in developed coun- tries. In this paper we provide a novel explanation of the consumption volatility puzzle based on political factors. In our model groups that disagree on the size of...