America’s Rural – Urban Economic Divide

job growth in America

The political map of the US increasingly represents a divided America, and this political divide has roots in an increasing economic divide. In brief – rural areas tend to have lower average incomes (though also cheaper rent) higher rates of unemployment, declining population, reliance on one major employer and more concentrated on the primary sector …

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Economic impact of Margaret Thatcher

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A look at the economic and social impact of Mrs Thatcher’s economic policies.   Summary of Thatcher’s Economic policies Belief in the desirability of free markets over government intervention. E.g. pursuing policies of privatisation and deregulation. The pursuit of supply-side policies to increase efficiency and productivity. Reducing the power of trades unions and increased labour …

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Long Run Trend Rate of Growth

The long-run trend rate of growth is the average sustainable rate of economic growth over a period of time. It could also be termed as the ‘underlying trend rate of economic growth’ The long-run trend rate is determined by growth in productive capacity (AS). It is the rate of growth which is consistent with low …

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How long do economic cycles last?

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The economic trade cycle shows how economic growth can fluctuate within different phases, for example: Boom (A period of high economic growth usually causing inflation) Peak (top of the trade cycle, where growth rates may start to fall) Economic downturn/recession (where the growth rate falls and may become negative – leading to a fall in national output) …

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The Rahn Curve – economic growth and level of government spending

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Readers Question: Does the Rahn Curve support the empirical evidence? If not, why not? Can you prove that there is a relationship between the level of Government Spending and GDP growth? The Rahn Curve suggests that there is an optimal level of government spending which maximises the rate of economic growth. Initially, higher government spending …

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Keynesian economics

The essential element of Keynesian economics is the idea the macroeconomy can be in disequilibrium (recession) for a considerable time. To help recover from a recession, Keynesian economics advocates higher government spending (financed by government borrowing) to kickstart an economy in a slump. Keynesian economics includes Disequilibrium in macroeconomy (insufficient demand) Imperfect labour markets (e.g. …

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Impact of National Debt on Economic Growth

Readers Question: What is the impact of persistent national debt on economic growth? Source: IMF (2012) In summary, there is no obvious link between national (public sector) debt and levels of economic growth. Both UK and US finished the Second World War with high levels of national debt – but this did not prevent rapid …

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Low inflation and high growth

Readers question: “Can an economy achieve low unemployment, low inflation and economic growth at the same time?” To achieve low unemployment, low inflation and economic growth at the same time is possible. For example, the UK economy 1993-2006 saw a prolonged period of low inflationary growth. Since early 2000, the Chinese economy has been growing …

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