14.452 Macroeconomic Theory II, Spring 2005

The basic machines of macroeconomics. Ramsey, Solow, Samuelson-Diamond, RBCs, ISLM, Mundell-Fleming, Fischer-Taylor. How they work, what shortcuts they take, and how they can be used. Half-term subject. From the course home page: Course Description This is the second course in the four-quarter graduate sequence in macroeconomics. Its purpose is to introduce the basic models macroeconomists use to study fluctuations. The course is organized around nine topics/sections: Fluctuations and Facts; The basic model: the consumption/saving choice; Allowing for a labor/leisure choice (the RBC model); Allowing for non trivial investment decisions; Allowing for two goods; Introducing money; Introducing price setting; Introducing staggering of price decisions; and Applications to fiscal and monetary policy.