Tag: Politics

International Trade and Economic Growth

Posted on by Rhys Williams

Does international trade increase economic growth? In this context, what are the trade policies that have been followed by developing countries?

Standard textbook economic theory tells us that international trade benefits both parties in the trade, based on the gains from comparative advantage as laid out by David Ricardo. However, recent research into New Trade Theory suggests that trade may not always be beneficial, and there are examples when it could inhibit growth. This essay will examine when this could be the case and then relate this to the example of developing countries.

The Ricardian story goes that countries have comparative advantages in producing certain goods. [...]

What is economic development?

Posted on by Rhys Williams

‘What is economic development and how would you measure it? Does an increase in per capita national income always constitute an increase in the standard of living?’

Economic development is hard to define, but is an improvement in the living conditions of the population as a whole. Whilst closely linked with economic growth – high growth could result in high development – they are not the same thing and economic growth, as we shall discover, does not necessarily equate to economic development. It can be measured in a variety of different ways and Streeten believes it is necessary for its own sake, to improve the condition of people, because it results in higher productivity and lower fertility (which is generally seen as a good thing), can lead to a better environment and a healthier civil society, democracy and social stability. [...]

Europe 2020

Posted on by Rhys Williams

Within the overall Europe 2020 strategy, there will be difficult tensions to resolve between social and economic aims, as well as between qualitative progress and quantitative targets.

The impact of Europe 2020 on employment and the labour market will be pivotal, because it is the policy domain that straddles the boundary between the EU as an economic union and its wider social ambitions. Discuss.

The 2020 strategy is designed to promote “smart, sustainable and inclusive growth” with 7 key targets to; increase total investment in R+D to 3% of GDP; reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% compared to 1990 levels; increase the share of renewable energy to 20%; and move towards a 20% increase in energy efficiency; reduce school drop-out rates to less than 10% and increase the share of the population having completed tertiary education to at least 40%; lift 20 million people out of the risk of poverty and social exclusion; and raise the employment rate to 75% amongst 20-64 year olds. [...]

The Lewis Model

Posted on by Rhys Williams

Describe carefully the Lewis dualistic labour surplus model. Does the Lewis model describe accurately the process of economic development in poor countries?

The Model

The Lewis model proposes a dualistic economy consisting of a formal, industrial and urban sector, and an informal, agricultural and rural sector. The formal sector is characterised as capital intensive and being run by profit-maximising capitalists who hire labour until the wage rate equals the marginal product of labour. This is because it makes economic sense for a firm to continue to hire labour until the costs (wage) equal the benefits (the marginal product of the additional unit of labour). [...]

Why have unions declined over the last 30 years?

Posted on by Rhys Williams

Account for the collapse of private sector trade unions in industrialised economies since the 1980s. Why has the experience of public sectors been different?

In the 1980s 54.5% of employees were trade union members but by 2000 this number was below 30%. This decline in unions can be seen through a variety of measures; in 1980 64% of all workplaces recognised at least one union, this dropped to 42% by 1998; in 1984 some 70% of employees were with a workplace which conducted some form of collective bargaining, by 2004 this figure was at 39%. Many factors have been proposed for this decline of trade unions in the private sector and to a limited extent in the public sector. [...]

Minimum Wages

Posted on by Rhys Williams

Why have statutory minimum wages become more prominent in recent decades? Why have they generally had little adverse effect on employment?

Prior to the introduction of the national minimum wage (NMW) in 1999 there had been no statutory wage floors since the abolishment of the Wages Councils in 1993 by the Conservative government. Growing wage inequality in both the D50:D10 and D90:D50 measure (which looks at the differing wage rates in the respective percentiles) was one of the leading reasons in the demand for some form of minimum wage to counter this growing inequality. Metcalf finds that the NMW reduced the D50:D10 ratio by 9 points if we include the effects of immigration. [...]

New Labour v.s. Old Labour

Posted on by Rhys Williams

New Labour was forced by political circumstances to adopt neo-liberalism and the Conservative European, Foreign and Defence policies, and so abandoned traditional Labour party ideology. Discuss.

New Labour began government with a promise not to increase spending above Conservative plans for the first two years of their government along with no increases in basic or high income tax. The government was strongly pro-Europe and wanted Britain to play an active role in the policy making decisions of the EU along with a future promise to join the monetary union. Foreign policy took on an ethical role with the government promoting human rights and intervening to stop abuses. [...]

Thatcher and Conservatism

Posted on by Rhys Williams

Margaret Thatcher broke the post-war consensus in British politics and in so doing changed Conservatism in a fundamental way. Discuss.

It is generally agreed that the post-war consensus consisted of 3 broad pillars – the welfare state, a mixed economy and Keynesian demand-management to ensure full-employment. Let us firstly turn to Keynesian demand management; the post-war consensus was established when the dominant economic paradigm was Keynesian thought, it was believed that by altering government spending aggregate demand would change so as to ensure that full-employment was achieved. Traditionally, the government had the trade-off between high inflation and low unemployment or vice versa, this occurred because by reducing unemployment labour had strong bargaining power and was able to bid-up wages which caused inflation. [...]

Politics in Post-War Britain

Posted on by Rhys Williams

Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee established a coherent political order in post-war British politics. Discuss.
The 3 main pillars of the post-war order were; a welfare state, a mixed economy and maintaining full employment. These three policies were introduced by Attlee’s Labour government between 1945 and 1950. They came about through a change in ideology in the electorate during the war. Although sometimes referred to as Butskellism because they were largely enacted by Hugh Gaitskell, Chancellor under Attlee and subsequently Rab Butler, Chancellor under Churchill, they only came to pass with the support and direction of Attlee and Churchill, reflecting their combined commitment to them. [...]