Time Variation in the Size of the Multiplier: A Kalecki-Harrod Approach

A growing empirical literature demonstrates that the size of the expenditure multiplier varies over time, being both larger and consistently greater than one during periods of slow growth and/or recession. This paper contributes to the theory of the time-varying multiplier. It is shown that a combination of Kalecki’s dynamic theory of investment and Harrod’s “satisficing” approach to the investment decision furnish a theory in which the “crowding in” of investment expenditures following an initial demand stimulus (fiscal or otherwise) gives rise to an elevated expenditure multiplier during times of pronounced macroeconomic distress.