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This article explores the long-term and cyclical effects of the Pasinetti Index (PI) and their implications for income distribution and macroeconomic policy in a post-pandemic environment marked by inflationary pressures and increasingly restrictive central bank policies. It discusses the relevance of adopting a zero PI as monetary policy framework as either a short-term target or a long-term norm. The research underscores the importance of coordinating monetary and fiscal policies to achieve a balanced mix of short-term and long-term macroeconomic goals, as per the Pasinetti rule, aimed at stabilizing income distribution between rentier and non-rentier groups without compromising on a Keynesian full employment commitment. By analyzing historical data and employing a SVAR model for Canada and the United States, the study highlights the significant cyclical impact of PI fluctuations on unemployment and income distribution. The findings challenge the efficacy of rigid monetary policy rules and support a macroeconomic policy that reconciles short-term employment objectives and long-term distributional goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the post-Keynesian and Sraffian perspectives on the relationship between monetary policy and income distribution, highlighting their endogenous demand-led money approach and rejection of the neutrality of interest rates, and monetary policy as tool of redistribution among social classes. Both approaches acknowledge that the central bank can influence interest rates and hence, the functional distribution of income. These shared ideas recognize the political nature of interest rates and the distributive impacts of monetary policy. Although all are crucial common points, some differences persist; PK theory often emphasizes the impact of monetary policy on rentiers vs. non-rentier classes, while Sraffians focus more on wage earners vs. non-wage earners. Further, while PK theorists advocate for alternative monetary policy rules, Sraffians favor discretionary policy tailored to each economy's unique institutional framework. The paper concludes by suggesting that these shared critical conceptions, despite minor differences, should stimulate collaborative efforts to further develop heterodox theories of monetary policy and income distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting in 2021, the current inflation process has spurred plenty of discussion in academic and policy circles. This paper studies the relationship between firms' markups and inflation during the 2021–22 inflation surge in several industrialized countries. It begins by explaining markup inflation and its critics in the context of the current debate over the sources of inflation. Then it reviews the characteristics of markup inflation within the post-Keynesian theory of markup pricing and complementing it with the Institutionalist approach to inflation that distinguishes between basic inflationary pressures and propagation mechanisms. The second part assesses markup inflation for several industrialized countries using descriptive statistics and conventional econometrics. The main contribution falls in empirically estimating markups considering the contribution of material cost and controlling for changes in capacity utilization over time. It concludes that there is some evidence pointing at markup inflation and, importantly, the existence of markup inflation leads to rejecting any wage-price spiral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]