Problems Of Economic Policy

Switzerland is at the centre of Europe, but is not part of the European Union. Its specific policy concerns are often less known than for other countries but might offer an alternative model to integration. This collection from some of the best academic economists in Switzerland covers monetary economics, competition, health care, environmental and housing policies, as well as aspects related to unemployment insurance, gender discrimination, poverty, and privatization to provide a comprehensive survey of the Swiss economy.

In this engaging volume, the editors present the influential work of economist Gottfried Haberler, whom Paul Samuelson judges qualified for about two-and-a-half Nobel prizes in economics. Throughout the book, Haberlers essays reveal the clarity of his analyses and his ability to identify crucial policy choices, whether grappling with issues of inflation, unemployment, trade, or development. Presenting Haberler as the eclectic economist he is, the editors show that far from being an ideologue, Haberler is an economist who uses whatever approaches and theories are appropriate for the problems he considers. Paul Samuelson judges that Gottfried Haberlers work should qualify him for about two-and-a-half Nobel Prizes in economicsone for his quantum improvement in trade theory beyond Ricardos paradigm of labors comparative advantage, one for his definitive synthesis of business cycle theory, and beyond these his policy wisdom over a period of six decades. It is Haberlers policy wisdom that serves as the basis for this comprehensive collection of the eminent economists work.Throughout the book, Haberlers contributions demonstrate the clarity of his analyses for exploring the complex economics of policy issues and for identifying key governmental responses to problems of unemployment, trade, and development. Presenting Haberler as the eclectic economist he is, the editors show that far from being an ideologue, Haberler is an economist who uses whatever approaches and theories are appropriate for the problems he considers. The portrait that emerges is one of a multifaceted thinker, able to choose freely among competing theories and to effectively apply them to complex and demanding policy issues.

First published in 1977, this is an applied economics text, in which the basic theory of any introductory economics couurse is applied to a whole range of UK macro- and micro-economic policy issues. The book is designed specifically for first and second year university students, with the aim of demonstrating the relevance of theory to policy, how theory can be applied to policy problems and, in the process, to improve their understanding of the theory itself.

[A] richly textured book, ambitious in scope, yet critical in nature. It deserves to be read by a wide audience.'- R. Imrie, Environment & Planning This comprehensive but critical account of British local policy covers the initiatives of local and central government, corporately-funded agencies and the voluntary sector and the whole range of different political strategies these have embodied. It discusses how local economic policy attempts to deal with current economic, social and political conditions, including the particular problems of the British economy and considers the strengths and limitations of locally-based initiatives in an increasingly internationalised economy.

Discussing the main problems in the formation of an Economic Union, this book analyses the extent to which national governments would have to give up their freedom of action in domestic monetary, budgetary, fiscal and economic policies if they were to form an effective economic union. The issues of commercial policy, financial and exchange-rate policies, of migration and investment and of the finance of a common defence budget are all covered.

The purpose of this volume is to demonstrate how contemporary institutional economic analysis can be applied to the resolution of economic problems. All of the essays in this book challenge the conventional wisdom in the problem areas addressed. They advocate policy positions that often run contrary to views widely held by academic economists and policy makers alike. The general literature of institutional economics is unorthodox, beginning with its methodological foundations and continuing through the kind of policy analysis found in these pages. The orthodox tradition in economics is commonly characterized as "neoclassical economics." Neoclassical economics fosters the myth that only "the market" can efficiently allocate a society's economic resources and equitably distribute its income. It provides the intellectual defense for in which "free markets" are championed over democratic capitalist ideology policy formation, which it contends is neither efficient nor equitable. For both professional economists and policy makers of a conservative political persuasion, neoclassical economics writes the script for a morality play in which the market is the "good guy" and the government is the "bad guy." As such, it undermines the belief that free societies can enhance economic welfare through the use of democratic processes in the formulation of economic policies.

This introduction to all aspects of international economics, business and finance is the clearest guide available to the economics of the world we live in. Written in a highly engaging style, packed full of up to the minute, real world case studies and pitched at introductory level, the book does an expert job of drawing students in and will leave them equipped with a comprehensive toolkit and methods and essential facts. .

This book addresses major economic problems affecting the United States and proposes policy reforms to target them. The authors use a broad survey of economic research to conduct an evidence-based assessment of four economic issues affecting the US and other developed nations: slowing economic growth, unsustainable public debt increases, widening wage inequality, and climate change. Finding that the problems are interconnected and should be dealt with in a comprehensive manner, the authors explain how current policies have contributed to the issues and make recommendations on policy reforms. All four issues are examined in one place and the resulting policy recommendations form a consistent plan to mediate the problems simultaneously. Providing a comprehensive approach to some of economic policy’s most difficult problems, this book will be an excellent resource for students and researchers interested in macroeconomic theory, public sector economics, international economics, labor economics, and environmental economics.