This is UK National debt since 1780. It tells part of the national story. Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo didn’t just change European history, it saved Britain from bankruptcy. The two world wars once again saw debt surge as the debt provided an emergency lifeline. How Does Government Debt Work?Watch this video on YouTube However, despite …
In the past four decades, China has undergone a genuine economic miracle. 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty, through economic growth that has often averaged close to 10%. China’s rise has changed the world. Our shops are flooded with cheap Chinese consumer goods, and many of our factories closed down. China went …
In the space of 18 months, Bank of England base rates have risen from historical lows to 5%, with more expected. It’s a remarkable turnaround for an economy accustomed to ultra-low borrowing costs – the rapid increase in rates have seen soaring mortgage costs and threatens to push an already struggling economy into recession. Yet …
Politicians often promise tax cuts can lead to higher productivity, higher economic growth, and even pay for themselves through a boost to long-term incomes. These promises may chime with the electorate who tend to prefer promises of tax cuts. But, do tax cuts really increase economic growth? There are two impacts of lower tax. Increasing …
At the start of the academic year, I always feel a little pressure to justify the study of economics. Students come up asking things like, should they do economics or history? It’s hard to know what to say, but to get people excited about economics it’s good to try and think how economics can be …
A trade deficit occurs when the value of imports of goods and services is greater than the value of exports. For example, in 2016 the US exports totalled US$ 1,450,457 million. Imports totalled US$ 2,248,209 million. (WITS) Source: Trade balance at St Louis Fed. Since 1990, the US has run a persistent trade deficit. The …
Interest rates are the cost of borrowing money. Interest rates are normally expressed as a % of the total borrowed, e.g. for a 30-year mortgage, a bank may charge 5% interest per year. Interest rates also show the return received on saving money in the bank or from an asset like a government bond. Different …
Definition: Aid involves economic assistance from one country to another. Usually, aid refers to assistance from the developed world to LDCs – less developed countries Aid can take various forms: Debt Relief – Forgiving debt can save LDCs annual interest payments and leave them more resources for internal investment Direct AID- giving food, money and …