Habit Formation and Long-Run Utility Functions*

This paper extends the work on habit formation of Pollak [Habit formation and dynamic demand functions. J. Polit. Econ. (197O)J and provides a critical counterexample to a conjecture of von Weizslcker [Notes on endogenous changes of tastes, J. Econ. Theory (1971)J concerning the existence of a “longrun utility function.” A linear specification of habit formation is applied to a general system of demand functions with linear Engel curves. It is shown that there exists a utility function which rationalizes the long-run demand functions if and only if they are the steady-state solution to a system of short-run demand functions generated by an additive utility function.