The Limits to Macroeconomic Policy Essay

According to this approach, in order to get IMF loans, any assisted country should go through reforms focused on the three major pillars of fiscal austerity, privatization and liberalization (Stiglitz, 2002, p. 53). During all the 90s, Argentina's economic policies were under the strict control of a supporting program established by IMF (IEO of IMF, 2003), so during the deep crisis happened between 1998 and 2002, IMF was already in charge with its approach. Throughout all this period, Argentina strictly applied the IMF formula and realized a number of structural reforms, "reducing budget and balance of payment deficits, raising interest rates, reducing inflation, privatizing state assets, and reducing trade barriers and regulation on capital flows in and out of the country" (Paddock, 2002, p. 158). This program did not produce the results expected by IMF. Instead, it produced recession and a strong dependence of Argentina's government on IMF loans to support its growing debt (Paddock, 2002). Primary economic and social indicators clearly show the sufferings of Argentina during that period: between 1998 and 2002, GDP passed from 292 billion dollars to 97 billion dollars (The World Bank, 2017), while unemployment grew from to 12.8% to 19.6% (The World Bank, 2017). Argentina stepped out of the crisis only after defaulting and devaluating, i.e. after

The financial crisis in Argentina during the late 1990s and early 2000s resulted in severe issues with foreign debt, inflation, unemployment, and political turmoil for the country. Argentina not only suffered a currency crisis, but also suffered a political crisis. Fallout from the economic collapse was so severe the Argentinean population resorted to civil unrest and protest, which in turn exacerbated Argentina’s problems at the turn of the century. While other issues related to this financial crisis such as the impact on the lives of the Argentinean population or the political turmoil and corruption are certainly worthy of discussion, this paper will focus on the currency crisis and the Argentinean government’s role in this economic

The Great Depression was a severe economic slump down that took place between 1929 and 1939 (Sauert, 2010). Observers reckon that this historical event was the longest, demeaning, and most widespread recession. The resultant widespread economic hardship hit Europe, North America, and other industrialized economies (Olson, 2001). Also, in the 21st century, the international community has experienced yet another crisis, the Global Financial Crisis, which the observers of the global economic fora have similarly compared and contrasted with the Great Depression. The Global Financial Crisis offered itself as a case scenario that epitomes how deep the economy of the world can decline to abysmal levels.

In 2008, the world experienced a tremendous financial crisis which rooted from the U.S housing market; moreover, it is considered by many economists as one of the worst recession since the Great Depression in 1930s. After posing a huge effect on the U.S economy, the financial crisis expanded to Europe and the rest of the world. It brought governments down, ruined economies, crumble financial corporations and impoverish individual lives. For example, the financial crisis has resulted in the collapse of massive financial institutions such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brother and AIG. These collapses not only influence own countries but also international area. Hence, the intervention of governments by changing and

This article analyzes the underlying causes of the current crisis, estimates how bad the crisis is likely to be, and discusses the government economic policies pursued so far (by both the

This policy involves increasing government spending and cutting taxes, in order to spur economic output. But if the government decides they need to do the opposite the government may adopt concretionary fiscal policy. This involves a reduction in government spending and an increase in taxes when faced with an overheating economy. But these actions, may have other effects in the economy. For instance, and expansionary fiscal policy may lead to the crowding out of investment.

An economic crisis has a destructive impact on the economy, along with social and cultural ramifications. The Great Depression and the Great Recession were no different, but varied in more specific aspects. The crisis of 1929 was preceded by irrational confidence in

Both political and economic events can trigger a crisis. Political trends and laws are standards

The United States of America’s economy is the most powerful economy in the world, and its currency is often interchangeable with foreign currencies. This economic power is a major part of what makes the United States of America a world power, coinciding with its military might. But with that being said, in recent years, it has also shown to be one of the most unstable economies as well, with the housing crisis of 2008, and the Government Shutdown in 2013. The American Economy is filled with constant corruption, bad practices, and constant threat of total collapse if the status-quo is kept.

Economic crises tend to be rare, but are labeled as crises for good reason. Economic crises have a detrimental impact on the economy, along with major social and cultural consequences, but vary in how they take form and ways they can be halted. Interestingly enough, while the Great Depression occurred 80 years before the Great Recession, there are many parallels between the two. The economic backdrop and underlying root causes were similar, but the important difference between the two was the response. The Great Depression and the Great Recession were similar in that they were both preceded by strong economic growth and ensuing irrational confidence and overextension of credit to businesses and consumers. They also had triggering events that

In this way, the Fed manages price inflation in the economy. So bonds affect the U.S. economy by determining interest rates. This affects the amount of liquidity. This determines how easy or difficult it is to buy things on credit, take out loans for cars, houses or education, and expand businesses. In other words, bonds affect everything in the economy. Treasury bonds impact the economy by providing extra spending money for the government and consumers. This is because Treasury bonds are essentially a loan to the government that is usually purchased by domestic consumers. However, for a variety of reasons, foreign governments have been purchasing a larger percentage of Treasury bonds, in effect providing the U.S. government with a loan. This allows the government to spend more, which stimulates the economy. Treasury bonds also help the consumer. When there is a great demand for bonds, it lowers the interest rate.

In what is considered as one of the worst crisis for a nation, Argentina has suffered significantly over the years and was caught yet again by a financial crisis in 2001. Over the short period of 1998 to 2001, the Argentine economy has lost almost 20 percent of its GDP (Figure 1) while the poverty has risen to an astonishing 42.3% percent (2001) from an already high figure of 18.2% in 1998 (Weisbrot and Sandoval).

Prior to becoming a democratic country, Argentina was exposed to a military dictatorship. Under this regime the Economy Minister was Jose Alfredo Martinez de Hoz whose neoliberal economic platform sided along to anti-labor, monetarist policies and financial liberalization. As a result of this regime, Argentina accumulated a $45 billion foreign debt. This lead interest rates to exceed trade surpluses, unemployment to increase and higher inflation rates. In 1985 a democracy was reestablished once President Raul Alfonsin was elected. Alfonsin’s government intended to stabilize the economy by establishing the austral, a new currency. However, this was unsuccessful because the government could not continue to fund its debts. The cost of utility increased significantly as real wages fell by almost half, increasing uncertainty across the country and causing inflation to increase from “200% a year in 1988 to 5,000% in 1989” (Brooke).

Throughout history, economic crises have emerged continuously. According to the International Monetary Fund, in the four decades between 1970 and 2010, there were no fewer than 145 banking crises, 208 monetary crashes, and 72 sovereign debt crises. This adds up to a total of 425 systemic crises across the world (Lietaer 3). These crises are caused because of the way the world monetary system has been set up. With debt being the basics of the current monetary system many local communities have developed new systems to replace or to help stabilize the current fiat currency system. These alternative forms of currencies are usually on a smaller, local scale to help the community balance the unstable

| Advocates of active monetary and fiscal policy view the economy as inherently unstable and believe that policy can manage aggregate demand, and thereby, production and employment, to offset the inherent instability. When aggregate demand is inadequate to ensure full employment, policymakers should boost government spending, cut taxes, and expand money supply. However, when aggregate demand is excessive, risking higher inflation, policymakers should cut government spending, raise taxes, and reduce the money supply. Such policy actions put