In welfare theory it is standard to pick the consumption stream that maximizes the welfare of the representative agent. We argue against this position, and show that a benevolent social planner will generally place a greater weight on future consumption than does the representative agent. Our...

In this paper we argue that many topics in macroeconomics can be viewed as part of the broader theory of the economics of adjustment. We argue that existing approaches to the economics of adjustment take a very narrow view of the role of information. We outline an approach to this topic that...

We model agents who get utility from their beliefs and therefore interpret information optimistically. They may exhibit several biases observed in psychological studies such as optimism, procrastination, confirmation bias, polarization, and the endowment effect. In some formulations, they...

We complete the study of comparative statics initiated in Caplin and Leahy [2010], which introduced a new mathematical apparatus for understanding NTU allocation markets, as such covering the housing market and other markets for large indivisible goods. We introduce homotopy methods to...

Many important markets, such as the housing market, involve goods that are both indivisible and of budgetary significance. We introduce new graph theoretic techniques ideally suited to analyzing such markets. In this paper and its companion (Caplin and Leahy [2010]), we use these techniques to...

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance has doubled over the past two years and is projected to redouble to $1.5 trillion over the next five. Despite clear signs of strain in the FHA's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, a recent actuarial review indicates that the FHA will not need any form...