![]() |
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
|
Your cart is empty |
||
|
Books > Business & Economics > Economics > Macroeconomics
In March 1976 the value of the British pound began to slide. The slide turned into a rout and triggered an economic and political trauma. By September confidence in the pound had collapsed. In April 1975 the Wall Street Journal had run the headline 'Goodbye, Great Britain, ' advising investors to get out of sterling. Now the British Labour government under its new Prime Minister James Callaghan was forced to seek help from the International Monetary Fund, a familiar option for Third World countries but highly unusual for a developed western economy. This expert new study uncovers the roots of the most searing economic crisis of postwar Britain. The weakness and instability of the British economy in the mid-1970s, the consequence in part of the 1973 rise in oil prices, raised international alarm. The US government in particular feared economic crisis would drive Britain into a left-wing siege economy, endangering NATO and the EEC. Anticipating the danger, the US Treasury set out to force Britain to make major domestic policy changes. The sterling crisis provided the opportunity. The IMF provided the weapon. Arriving in London in November 1976, the IMF mission announced that the price for the loan included deep cuts in public expenditure. The consequent political crisis was fought out in private and in public, amongst members of the British Cabinet, the Labour Party, the Treasury and the Bank of England. It involved the US President, Treasury and State Department, the Federal Reserve, the German Chancellor and the Bundesbank. Burk and Cairncross uncover the efforts of the Labour government to escape IMF conditions. They also examine the political agenda, the loss of economic control, therise of monetarist ideas and the change in the climate of opinion. Juxtaposing gripping narrative with expert analysis, the book provides surprising answers to critical questions and reveals how the breakdown of the postwar consensus on macro-economic management paved the way for the triumph of Thatcherism.
Symmetry and Economic Invariance: An Introduction explores how symmetry and invariance of economic models can provide insights into their properties. While the professional economist is nowadays adept at many of the mathematical techniques used in static and dynamic optimization models, group theory is still not among his or her repertoire of tools. The authors aim to show that group theoretic methods form a natural extension of the techniques commonly used in economics and that they can be easily mastered.
These essays bring together a progression in monetary theory. The major theme that runs through all of the chapters is that in order to do monetary economics well in general equilibrium, it helps to have a good money demand underlying the theory. A proper underlying money demand sets up arguably the best
foundation from which to make extensions of monetary economics from
the basic model. At the same time that money demand is modelled,
this also ?endogenizes? the velocity of money. This has been a
challenge in the literature that these essays solve and then use to
extend basic neoclassical growth and business cycle theory. Solving
this problem, in a way that is a natural, direct, and
?micro-founded? extension of the standard monetary theory is the
first major contribution of the collection. The second major
contribution is the extension of the neoclassical monetary models,
using this solution, to reinvigorate classic issues of monetary
economics and take them to the frontier.
During the 1930s and 1940s, and again in the 1970s and 1980s, most European nations, indeed most industrial nations, undertook major changes in macroeconomic policy orientation and financial regulation. The contributors to this volume, historians, political scientists, and economists, identify the forces which drove these major policy shifts, and explore their implications for other areas of economic and social policy.
This book analyzes the factors behind the poor industrial performance in African countries under structural adjustment policies in the eighties and discusses prospects for recovery and further industrialization in the nineties. The focus is on the African textile sector in a worldwide comparative perspective and Tanzania has been chosen for a detailed case-study. Macro- and microeconomic explanations are given and combined with an analysis of the state. The conclusion is that lack of adequate industrial policy threatens to undermine past industrialization efforts.
This book focuses on the construction of the economic policies of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and its institutions. It reviews the faltering economic performance of the EMU countries before and after the onset of the financial crisis. It exposes the shortcomings and design faults of the EMU project on fiscal and monetary policies under the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) and now the 'fiscal compact'. It critically examines the labour market agenda of the EMU and argues for avoidance of the neo-liberal employment policies being advocated. It proposes an alternative policy agenda for a sustainable currency union, and asks whether a currency union can be sustained without de facto political union.
Money is the most important human invention after language. It provides tokens for the faith we have in each other and society – but that trust has been violated repeatedly throughout history by the middlemen and authorities we rely upon in order to transact with each other. Now a new kind of money promises to rescue us from these tyrants and return us to the roots of money, without relying on third-parties. Instead of putting our faith in banks and governments, we can trust math. Simon Dingle has been working with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies since 2011, designing products that make it easier to engage with this new world of money. He is also a broadcaster, writer and speaker who makes complex subjects simple for his audiences. Having led the product team at one of the world’s first Bitcoin exchanges and on other popular fintech products, Simon continues to design and invest in projects that make money more fair, this in addition to his weekly radio show on 5FM that helps people with technology more generally. In his first book Simon looks at the evolution of human trust that not only explains how cryptocurrencies work and the origins of Bitcoin, but how you can use these networks to take control of your own financial universe. A highly readable account of a complex subject, In Math We Trust is all you need to find out about the future of money.
This volume examines issues of economic interest faced by Latin America economies in the late 20th Century. The fifteen chapters deal with macroeconomic problems, financial crises, the development of trade and trade agreements and labor issues. Of particular interest are the chapters dealing with Argentina, which provide an absorbing background to the financial crisis faced today.
This book examines monetary policy, central banking and exchange rate regimes in the Middle East and North Africa. Part I covers central banking and monetary policy, while Part II covers monetary policy and exchange rate regimes. Some chapters focus on the monetary frameworks of particular countries, including Lebanon, Algeria, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Turkey, outlining the different systems operated in each case, considering their successes and failures, and discussing important issues such as government policy, macroeconomic performance, inflation and inflation targeting, central bank independence and the impact of broader political economic developments on the conduct of monetary policy. Other chapters cover thematic issues across the whole region, including: central bank independence, operations of debtor central banks, the effect of exchange rates on inflation, and the effect on countries trade of alternative exchange rate regimes. Drawing on the insights of scholars and policy-makers, this book is a vital resource for anyone wanting to understand the economies of the Middle East and North Africa.
In the words of Robert M. Solow traverse analysis "is the easiest part of skiing, but the hardest part of economics". The aim of this volume is to assess the state and scope of modern traverse analysis as it had been initiated by John Hicks in his pioneering contribution Capital and Time (1973). The analysis of an economy which originally had been in a growth equilibrium which was disturbed by technical progress is one of the most challenging problems in economics. This book takes Hicks' work as the point of departure for theoretical work on the macroeconomic theory of capital dynamics along transition non-steady state paths The original contributions in this volume explore the manifold theoretical roots of traverse analysis in classical and post-classical literature, its features as a specific method of economic dynamics, and its applications in a variety of fields from monetary economics to development and international economics. The essays thereby focus on the ways ahead from Capital and Time that have been suggested and actively pursued by a number of scholars in recent years. Its central theme is the role of capital structures as critical factors in determining the actual dynamics of any given economic system. This volume is inspired by the belief that this state of affairs is not a satisfactory one, and outlines a new agenda for capital theory. Contributors include Edwin Burmeister, Jean-Luc Gaffard and Heinz Kurz.
Keynes asked whether his ?visionary? ideas would overcome the interests opposed to change. However, an examination of the histories of monetary and fiscal policies suggests that this is a false distinction. The interests and ideas associated with government policies are seldom opposed. The suspicion that the latter more often follows than confronts the former is supported by the experiences documented in this book. Professor Wood's new title examines the controlling influences that drive macroeconomic policies in the United States. The book addresses the history of the interests, ideas, and practices of monetary and fiscal policies in the U.S., although it also examines macro-policies in other countries, particularly the UK. Professor Wood argues that economic policies in the United States have been relatively predictable and stable historically, through a detailed examination of conflicts over taxes and monetary policy such as the whiskey rebellion, Magna Carta, the Stamp Act, the Banks of the U.S., and the Federal Reserve. Issues covered also include property, economists? theories of stabilization, taxes, deficits, and monetary policy.
Deregulation, privatization and internationalization of the telecommunications industry has brought about enormous changes within both the European and world economy. The dynamics of the Internet and the recent wave of innovations in the telecommunications and computer industry have given rise to new opportunities for entrepreneurship, employment and growth. No doubt, the dynamics and imperfections of today`s information markets raise crucial challenges for Western Europe. The changing patterns of innovation in the digital economy have forced governments to consider new strategies to promote innovation, network effects and growth. In response to these developments this text presents new approaches to macroeconomic modelling, growth theory and trade analysis. Still further, the deregulation policies of OECD-countries are analyzed. An indispensible text for academics and professionals who want to deepen their knowledge of how the New Economy revolution continues to change the economy.
Is structured finance dead? Many have asked this question after the financial crisis. Or is structured finance evil and therefore should it be dead? This book suggests neither nor. Even if structured finance can be misused or applied under inappropriate conditions, it can also be an effective tool for reaching development objectives. The authors in this volume focus on the potential of structured finance in the aftermath of the financial crisis. They explore the conditions under which structured finance is suitable for emerging markets highlighting both its benefits and risks. The book combines professional and scientific perspectives and points towards various useful applications of structured finance in support of small and medium-sized enterprises and microfinance. This also includes activities as diverse as infrastructure development, remittances, rural livelihood, and Shari ah-compliant Islamic finance.
The various dimensions of the changes to the EC budget induced by Maastricht are explored in this volume. Based on the theory of fiscal federalism, this book discusses important aspects of multilayer government finance for existing federations: Australia, Germany, Switzerland and the United States. Paul Bernd Spahn sketches the effects of an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) onto the Community budget, and a systematic treatment of revenue instruments for its future financing concludes the analysis. The main emphasis of the work is on revenue raising for the EC under EMU.
The contributors to this volume discuss the lack of competitiveness of Eastern countries and their need for structural adjustment. The main issues considered are the problem of price convergence in integrated markets, the positive approach to foreign capital inflows, the problem of the current account deficit and the direction of strucural change. The book consists of a wide range of theoretical approaches--from supply-side to more demand-side orientations.
The monograph concentrates on recent developments in modelling economic processes on macro level. Namely there are two main areas of interest: co-integration analysis and the use of high frequency time series. Special emphasis is put on testing, application of VEqCM models to I(1) as well as I(2) variables and structuralization of VAR. Volatility is analysed within traditional and Bayesian approach.
The rapid growth of offshore outsourcing in manufacturing and IT-based services is unleashing dramatic changes around the world. This book brings together leading scholars and practitioners to analyze the implications of this huge transformation. For some observers, offshore outsourcing promises more rapid economic growth for both developed and developing countries. For others, it unravels the social contract in today's rich countries, as labor and governments lose bargaining power vis-a-vis globally mobile capital. For yet others, it offers some developing countries the opportunity to leapfrog, while pushing others even further to the sidelines. This book provides a uniquely comprehensive, yet diverse account of the winners and losers from offshore outsourcing and of how policy might be used to spread its benefits more widely and equally.
* Presents many of the microeconomic and macroeconomic theories and schools of thought not generally covered in mainstream principles of economics textbooks * Each chapter starts with a short "refresher" of standard neoclassical economic modelling before demonstrating how that model is distorted by people, problems and events in the real world to provide students with a more realistic picture of how the economy works * Updates throughout and new material on populism, racism, inequality, climate change and the covid-19 pandemic * Now has online supplements: quiz questions for students and PowerPoint slides for instructors
Euro Crash diagnoses the three fatal design flaws in EMU as constructed by the Maastricht Treaty and analyses future likely monetary scenarios for Europe, demonstrating how the best of these would be the creation of a new narrow monetary union between France and Germany founded on strict monetarist principle and without a European Central Bank.
This addition to the ISOR series introduces complementarity models in a straightforward and approachable manner and uses them to carry out an in-depth analysis of energy markets, including formulation issues and solution techniques. In a nutshell, complementarity models generalize: a. optimization problems via their Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions b. on-cooperative games in which each player may be solving a separate but related optimization problem with potentially overall system constraints (e.g., market-clearing conditions) c. conomic and engineering problems that aren't specifically derived from optimization problems (e.g., spatial price equilibria) d. roblems in which both primal and dual variables (prices) appear in the original formulation (e.g., The National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) or its precursor, PIES). As such, complementarity models are a very general and flexible modeling format. A natural question is why concentrate on energy markets for this complementarity approach? s it turns out, energy or other markets that have game theoretic aspects are best modeled by complementarity problems. The reason is that the traditional perfect competition approach no longer applies due to deregulation and restructuring of these markets and thus the corresponding optimization problems may no longer hold. Also, in some instances it is important in the original model formulation to involve both primal variables (e.g., production) as well as dual variables (e.g., market prices) for public and private sector energy planning. Traditional optimization problems can not directly handle this mixing of primal and dual variables but complementarity models can and this makes them all that more effective for decision-makers.
If the plans concerning EMU will be realised, by 2002 national currencies will be replaced by the Euro and national central banks will be partially replaced by the European Central Bank. The Politics of Economic and Monetary Union starts with the argument that EMU is more a political than an economic project. It develops this theme by addressing five different questions. First, precisely what is the general role of EMU in the globalising political economy? Second, how EMU will change the power relations and the relationship between political' and economic'? Third, what effects will EMU have on generally accepted values - including for example efficiency, self-determination, and democracy? Fourth, how does the EMU-related politics of symbols - including money - take part in constructing political identities? And last, but certainly not least, what effects EMU will have on the social and political dimension of the Union and thus also on its legitimacy? The politics of EMU includes many dimensions. The book tries to explain the hegemony of the neoliberal and German vision of Europe in the context of recent development in the global political economy. It assesses the consequences of this hegemony and the possibility for alternatives from a variety of perspectives. In many chapters, it is also argued that the legitimation problems of the Union may turn into an acute crisis also because of EMU. We should expect an actualised crisis to lead to a transformation of the Union.
The author examines the theory and practice of government interventions in the financial sector of two newly industrializing countries, Brazil and South Korea. Findings from this study help to explain the widespread use of such interventions despite the generally negative predictions (of inefficiencies and general failure) which derive from more prominent and traditional theories. This work contributes a political-economic exploration of how, when, and what kinds of financial regulations can be successful. Historical and institutional analysis of the use of capital controls, credit controls, and economic planning in Brazil and the Republic of Korea illuminate the ways in which strategic use of specific financial controls facilitate these countries's efforts to industrialize rapidly, and solve the problems of capital creation, productivity, preservation, and disciplined management.
Using simple but rigorously defined mathematical models, Thomas Quint and Martin Shubik explore monetary control in a simple exchange economy. Examining how money enters, circulates, and exits an economy, they consider the nature of trading systems and the role of government authority in the exchange of consumer goods for storable money; exchanges made with durable currency, such as gold; fiat currency, which is flexible but has no consumption value; conditions under which borrowers can declare bankruptcy; and the distinctions between individuals who lend their own money, and financiers, who lend others'.
The book provides a thorough but concise exposure to macroeconomics to post school students as well as those studying economics for the first time. Following an introduction that gives an overview of macroeconomics as well as a brief discussion of the main macroeconomic problems that societies face, the book then looks at national income accounting and economic performance. The book looks at the unemployment problem. There is also a discussion of aggregate supply and demand theory, and the role of that theory in explaining the determinants of aggregate economic output and employment. The problem of inflation and is also discussed. The reality that the economies of most countries are interconnected with that of the rest of the world is discussed under open-economy. The book then discusses economic growth in both the short-run and the long run.
In the early 1990s, financial liberalization started in India, and it was thought that such reforms would increase economic growth. This argument formed part of the finance led industrialization hypothesis and although higher growth resulted, higher industrialization did not immediately. This book is the first study to comprehensively apply the flow
of funds model for India. India's Emerging Financial Market provides a thorough and rigorous analysis of policy responses in India and will be of interest to academics working on development economics in general and South Asia in particular. |
You may like...
HowExpert Guide to Knitting Socks - 101…
Howexpert, Jeanne Torrey
Hardcover
R750
Discovery Miles 7 500
Software for Parallel Computation
Janusz S. Kowalik, Lucio Grandinetti
Hardcover
R2,853
Discovery Miles 28 530
|