On Time Inconsistency: A Technical Issue in Stackelberg Differential Games

Stackelberg differential games are useful settings in which optimal government policies can be studied. This paper argues that the analysis of these games involves a key technical issue. In particular, we question the necessity for optimality of one boundary condition invoked in existing literature. The issue is of key interest because the boundary condition is largely responsible for the time inconsistency results previously obtained. We show that the boundary condition is not necessary in some cases. As a result, our finding undermines the credibility of the existing conclusions. Forthcoming 1997: Journal of Economic Theory.