Economic Growth Models with Heterogeneous Discounting

A survey of theoretical economic growth models with agents having different subjective discount factors is proposed. The structure of equilibrium paths in such models, their dynamics and convergence to stationary equilibria, and the relationship with Pareto optimal paths are described. Models with socially determined discount factors in which time preferences are formed endogenously are discussed, and the basic difficulties associated with social choice in the case of heterogeneous discount factors are examined. The models presented in the paper shed light on internal mechanisms of a market economy that lead to the division of society into the rich and the poor.