Essays in Macroeconomics

Abstract

Over the course of the past five decades, several puzzling macroeconomic trends have caught the eye of economists and policymakers alike. The rise of market power, the decline of the labor share, and the decline of productivity growth are simply some prominent examples. Given their importance, much has been written and discussed about these topics, yet little is still known about their underlying causes. In addition to these phenomena, in recent years economists have turned their attention to the Covid-19 pandemic, grappling with understanding its economic ramifications and with formulating optimal policy interventions. My doctoral dissertation, titled "Essays in Macroeconomics," consists of four distinct yet interconnected chapters. These chapters delve into the topics outlined above, with Economic Growth and Public Finance serving as unifying themes. The first two chapters fall within the scope of Economic Growth, while the last two center on Public Finance. Methodologically, each chapter combines economic theory with empirical or quantitative analysis, if not both, to shed light on important macroeconomic questions.