The book uses the methods of spectral analysis to establish a set of stylized facts concerning the cyclical properties of the most important economic aggregates of Germany and the US. To explain these stylized facts, a series of investment cycle models is developed and evaluated. Thereby, the...

We model the reaction of a PAYG pension system to demographic shocks. We compare the ex ante first best and second best solution of a Ramsey planner with full commitment to the outcome under simple third best rules. The model is calibrated to the German economy. We find that the German system...