Compare and Contrast the "Life Cycle" Hypothesis and the "Permanent

question 146

Essay

Compare and contrast the "life cycle" hypothesis and the "permanent income" hypothesis. What are their respective implications for inequality in the income distribution?

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Definitions:

Monopolistic Competition

A market structure characterized by many firms selling products that are substitutes but not perfect substitutes, leading to some degree of market power for each firm.

Cournot Duopoly

A market situation where two firms compete with one another by deciding on output quantity with the assumption that the other's decision remains constant.

Rivals

Competitors within the same market that vie for customers and market share by offering similar goods or services.

Reaction Curve

Relationship between a firm’s profit-maximizing output and the amount it thinks its competitor will produce.