A Class of Dynamic Demand Systems

This paper derives closed-form solutions for the total consumption-expenditure function (i.e. aggregate consumption function), the savings function and the demand functions from a nonstationary intertemporal utility-maximization problem under uncertainty for a class of demand systems, including the linear expenditure system (LES) from the Klein-Rubin-Samuelson (KRS) utility function, the generalized linear expenditure systems (GLES) from the CES and S-branch-tree utility functions, the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) from the PIGLOG class of preferences, and the indirect addilog demand system (IADS). We do so by following Hicks’ and Tintner’s method of maximizing a discounted utility function subject to expected constraints rather than the more fashionable method of maximizing an expected discounted utility function subject to stochastic constraints. Furthermore, the preferences are allowed to vary with the time period. Theoretical analyses for these systems are also given in this paper.