AHMED SALIM NUHU On The Impact of Fiscal Policy and Trade Openness on Unemployment in Namibia 1. Introduction Unemployment remains a fundamental challenge for policy makers around the globe as it simultaneously increases poverty and threatens social stability within a country (Goker, 2013). Even though the literature recognizes the critical role fiscal policy plays in mitigating unemployment and stabilizing the economy (Auerbach, Gale, and Harris, 2010), the extent to which it works effectively to achieve this remains an issue of debate amongst economists (Coate and Battaglini, 2011). However, the massive use of fiscal policy tools by governments in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis has, ignited a renewed interest in examining the role of fiscal policy in promoting growth and employment (Feldstein, 2009). A cursory survey at the literature however, reveals a lack of consensus on the fiscal policy-unemployment debate. For example, using a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model with search and matching frictions, Gomes (2010) found mixed responses of unemployment to different fiscal shocks. Bruckner and Pappa (2012) found that an increase in government consumption expenditure usually causes higher unemployment whilst Fatas and Mihov (2001) in their study of the United States economy and more recently, Unal, (2015) in his study of the Netherlands economy and, found that higher government consumption was an incentive for increases in employment. These heterogeneous
In any economy, no matter whether it is controlled by the government or by free markets, people need to work in order to support it. The government does not generate tax revenue by magic. There have to be people in that economy earning an income to ensure that the government continues to collect taxes. In a free market economy, the same applies because there are some services which only an organized government can supply (such as protection from extra-national threats), but there also those which the people get for themselves because of the working of the markets. In any scenario, unemployment is, at the very least, a drag on the economy, and it can be much worse. This paper examines how the unemployment rate in the United States is underreported, and how that fact effects the sluggishness of the present economy.
b) In a recession, the number of people experiencing economic hardship increases, so induced transfer payments such as unemployment benefits and welfare benefits increase. Induced taxes and induced transfer payments decrease the multiplier effect of a change in autonomous expenditure such as investments, and moderate recessions making real GDP more stable. Discretionary fiscal policy would be used in an attempt to restore full employment. The government might increase its expenditure on goods and services, cut taxes, or do some of both, increasing aggregate demand. An increase in government expenditure or a cut in taxes increases aggregate expenditure as well.
The government has been implementing policies in the improvement of the growth in the UK. Such as improving economic growth during the Great Depression and the recent financial crisis. A brief history by (Pettinger, 2016) on the use of fiscal policy, Keynes promoted the use of fiscal policy as a way of boosting growth. Moreover, during 1970-1980s the government switched to using monetary policy in influencing the economy. However, the government later reverted to using the fiscal policy in the recession of 2008-2013. Whether or not fiscal policy is the key policy in the process of improving economic growth is the issue.
Keynesian economics, derived from the ideology of John Maynard Keynes’, was a strategy used during post World War II that would prevent economic decline in the United States by incorporating government spending. Keynesian economics would work by using “...deficit spending to stimulate the economy when in the down cycle and increased taxes to retire the debt during the upswing.”(Lecture A, Week 5). Some government spending programs that reflected the idea of Keynesian economics in America included The Employment
Free trade is the act of exchanging goods or services between countries for minimal tariffs or fees. Between countries, this is a method of exchange that is gaining more and more popularity. By importing and exporting for low fees, free trade is an efficient way to cover up weaknesses in the country and gain on strengths. Free trade is a very controversial topic that is viewed upon differently by many people in many different countries. Some oppose free trade; they feel it will cause production losses or low employment in their country. Many countries also embrace it and believe it helps create a strong and healthy nation. They join in free trade organizations or draft free trade agreements with
The President of Bartavia wants to enact expansionary fiscal policy with the intention of manipulating inflation and unemployment. Although Bartavia is nearly employing all of its resources in production and extremely close to full employment level, the President is still concerned about the small percentage that is unemployed. Unemployment is the state of a person without a job or a reliable salary or income. Inflation and unemployment are characteristics that are closely monitored to indicate the economic performance of a country. As the economic advisor to the president, I would strongly advise against implementing this policy. Currently, the economy is not in a recession making the trade-offs associated with economic expansion counter intuitive. In addition, the Phillips Curve demonstrates the inverse relationship between inflation and unemployment, making the need for expansionary action unnecessary right now. Finally, Okun 's Law shows how this policy would effect Bartavia 's GDP via the sacrifice ratio. These three reasons show that the long-run consequences outweigh the short-run benefits of expansionary fiscal policy. Therefore, I implore the President to avoid implementing the expansionary policy.
The third question, Can Monetary and/or fiscal policy reduce unemployment in the long run? The classical macroeconomists thought the government could not change unemployment. They believed fiscal policy would only cause a short increase in the real output. Classical economists say that in order to decrease unemployment, it is imperative to use supply side policies in order to raise the adaptability of labour markets. The Keynesians thought the complete opposite, they believed that expansionary policies could be effective in maintaining a long term low unemployment rate. Fiscal policy would boost aggregate demand curve, and as a result, would create higher output, thus in the end, producing
The government have been implementing policies in the improvement of the growth in the UK. Such as improving economic growth during the Great Depression. A brief history by (Pettinger, 2016) on the use of fiscal policy, Keynes promoted the use of fiscal policy as way of boosting growth. Moreover, during 1970-1980s the government switched to using monetary policy in influencing the economy. However, the government later reverted to using the fiscal policy in the recession of 2008-2013. Whether or not fiscal policy is the key policy in the improvement of economic growth is the issue. Therefore, starting off by defining economic growth and the current statistics of growth will help evaluate the use of fiscal policy.
A tax cut could possibly achieve the same result through the expansionary fiscal policy. This policy demonstrates that a surge in government purchases, declines in net taxes, or some combination of the two that is aimed at increasing aggregate demand enough to reduce unemployment and return the economy to the potential output. Therefore, fiscal policy is used to close a recessionary gap (McEachern, 2015, p.
The appropriate role of government in the economy consists of six major functions of interventions in the markets economy. Governments provide the legal and social framework, maintain competition, provide public goods and services, national defense, income and social welfare, correct for externalities, and stabilize the economy. The government also provides polices that help support the functioning of markets and policies to correct situations when the market fails. As well as, guiding the overall pace of economic activity, attempting to maintain steady growth, high levels of employment, and price stability. By applying the fiscal policy which adjusts spending and tax rates or monetary policy which manage the money supply and control the
Since the global financial crisis of 2008, the UK government has been implementing various policies to combat the recession and stimulate economic growth. This essay will look at how effective the fiscal and monetary policies used since the crisis are in achieving the four-macro economic objectives. In addition, I will provide my input on the best way the UK government can carry out these policies.
Both the Keynesian and Neoliberal era came into existence as an aftermath of both an economic crisis and a war. Keynesianism came after the Second World War when the then neoclassical economy was in crisis. This crisis brought forth Keynesianism with the underlying disbelief in the self-regulating nature of capitalism. The Keynesian ideology believed in increased state intervention to produce economic stability. This policy rested on four policy prescription; full employment; a social safety net; increased labor rights; and investment policies were to be left to private enterprises. Keynesianism’s subsequent inability to deal with the unexpected inflation caused by two international oil crises and during the period of the
This essay seeks to explain what are monetary and fiscal policy and their roles and contribution to the economy. This includes the role of the government in regulating the economical performance of a country. It also explains the different features and tools of monetary and fiscal policy and their performance when applied to the third world countries with a huge informal sector.
Research has shown the links between unemployment and higher morbidity and mortality rates( Mathers and Schofield) where health outcomes are poorer and premature deaths are
Unemployment and inflation are factors that have negative effects on the performance of the economy as a whole. Therefore, policies to achieve low and stable price inflation, a high and stable level of employment are big macroeconomics issues of our time. This essay focuses on discussing the role of government policy on reducing unemployment and inflation in relation to Keynesian and Monetarist approaches, including examples of impacts of expansionary fiscal and monetary policies on New Zealand economy.