Economic links
About difficulties in measuring rule of law (pdf) for cross-country studies.
About the efficient-market hypothesis as the most effective hypothesis for general investors.
Paper examining the economies of scale in living together (pdf): it finds they increase over time.
The good and bad news on development: Countries as poor and wretched as Haiti, Burma and the Congo have infant mortality rates today that are lower than any country in the World achieved in 1900
A study of the economic impact of the size of government (pdf). A nice summary and short discussion.
Soviet bloc concrete apartment block gets the capitalist go-over.
About the Godfather of Bangalore.
Nice post on the complexities of China. China’s rural economic reforms started in a single village. (Plymouth Colony was a similar case in American history.) Observing the increasing standard of living. Wondering if China might not be heading for a property crash. Production is rising, consumption is not so the money is heading into asset speculation.
Arguing for a (conditional) Marshall Plan for Africa: But take a look at the World Bank's annual report, "Doing Business," and you'll realize that many African economies have never had a business market to fail -- thanks to their governments' dense, unnavigable regulations. "Doing Business" ranks countries according to how easy it is for citizens to start and run businesses -- things such as registering a company, hiring and firing workers, getting credit, and so on. Poor countries in general and African ones in particular rank at the bottom of the list. The major reason is that their governments have never had an interest in fostering business because favor and aid for government and NGO projects comes so much easier. In essence, the market never failed because it never really existed..
Nice post on the disempowering effects of allegedly “empowering” regulation and the affect on behaviour. A nice post on the “failure of imagination” problem with open markets: markets are discovery processes, the notion that we can imagine in advance off the top of our head what they will not develop is deeply silly.
The massive fiscal stimuli that will not actually be spent until 2010 and on will greatly complicate central banks’ exit strategies. (It also includes a useful short discussion on why the US had a sharp downturn in 1936-37). Those fiscal splurges are looking more and more like really bad ideas. The effectiveness of fiscal stimulus is being debated in Oz: the implications of strong support for such stimulus. The Obama Administration is now predicting debt over the next 10 years at $US10trillion. The argument that deficits raise interest rates is apparently no longer expedient. US federal tax receipts have averaged 17.9% of GDP since 1945. Arguing that a US Treasury debt default is likely.
France and Germany seem to be moving out of recession. So is the Czech Republic. As well as Japan and East Asian economies.
Official warning that a $US409bn program to buy toxic securities may enrich those with insider information. A Rolling Stones expose of Goldman Sachs: the take on the causes of the Great Depression is dubious.
The CEO of Whole Foods™ proposes ways of reducing health care costs in the US. Some of his shoppers are outraged. Listing some unsuccessful health care reforms.
College fees have increased much faster than medical prices which have increased much faster than general prices in the US. Pay and number of college administrators has increased faster than faculty or student numbers.
The cost of stamps in the US has risen much faster than the CPI or petrol. While the US Post Office apparently finds maintaining vending machines too hard. Amusing kiwifruit comparison with postal service costs (the comments discuss the comparison in more detail).
It is a bad to be looking for a job in Detroit, but prospects in Washington DC are excellent.
California is resorting to compulsory loans to try and fund its State budget. The fiscal problems of California and other US States and similar tendencies in Oz.
Under questioning from the Economic Committee of the House of Representatives, Reserve Bank Governor Stevens assesses fiscal policy, monetary policy and whether there is a housing bubble (pdf). Treasury Secretary Dr Ken Henry on Oz fiscal and monetary responses.
About the efficient-market hypothesis as the most effective hypothesis for general investors.
Paper examining the economies of scale in living together (pdf): it finds they increase over time.
The good and bad news on development: Countries as poor and wretched as Haiti, Burma and the Congo have infant mortality rates today that are lower than any country in the World achieved in 1900
A study of the economic impact of the size of government (pdf). A nice summary and short discussion.
Soviet bloc concrete apartment block gets the capitalist go-over.
About the Godfather of Bangalore.
Nice post on the complexities of China. China’s rural economic reforms started in a single village. (Plymouth Colony was a similar case in American history.) Observing the increasing standard of living. Wondering if China might not be heading for a property crash. Production is rising, consumption is not so the money is heading into asset speculation.
Arguing for a (conditional) Marshall Plan for Africa: But take a look at the World Bank's annual report, "Doing Business," and you'll realize that many African economies have never had a business market to fail -- thanks to their governments' dense, unnavigable regulations. "Doing Business" ranks countries according to how easy it is for citizens to start and run businesses -- things such as registering a company, hiring and firing workers, getting credit, and so on. Poor countries in general and African ones in particular rank at the bottom of the list. The major reason is that their governments have never had an interest in fostering business because favor and aid for government and NGO projects comes so much easier. In essence, the market never failed because it never really existed..
Nice post on the disempowering effects of allegedly “empowering” regulation and the affect on behaviour. A nice post on the “failure of imagination” problem with open markets: markets are discovery processes, the notion that we can imagine in advance off the top of our head what they will not develop is deeply silly.
The massive fiscal stimuli that will not actually be spent until 2010 and on will greatly complicate central banks’ exit strategies. (It also includes a useful short discussion on why the US had a sharp downturn in 1936-37). Those fiscal splurges are looking more and more like really bad ideas. The effectiveness of fiscal stimulus is being debated in Oz: the implications of strong support for such stimulus. The Obama Administration is now predicting debt over the next 10 years at $US10trillion. The argument that deficits raise interest rates is apparently no longer expedient. US federal tax receipts have averaged 17.9% of GDP since 1945. Arguing that a US Treasury debt default is likely.
France and Germany seem to be moving out of recession. So is the Czech Republic. As well as Japan and East Asian economies.
Official warning that a $US409bn program to buy toxic securities may enrich those with insider information. A Rolling Stones expose of Goldman Sachs: the take on the causes of the Great Depression is dubious.
The CEO of Whole Foods™ proposes ways of reducing health care costs in the US. Some of his shoppers are outraged. Listing some unsuccessful health care reforms.
College fees have increased much faster than medical prices which have increased much faster than general prices in the US. Pay and number of college administrators has increased faster than faculty or student numbers.
The cost of stamps in the US has risen much faster than the CPI or petrol. While the US Post Office apparently finds maintaining vending machines too hard. Amusing kiwifruit comparison with postal service costs (the comments discuss the comparison in more detail).
It is a bad to be looking for a job in Detroit, but prospects in Washington DC are excellent.
California is resorting to compulsory loans to try and fund its State budget. The fiscal problems of California and other US States and similar tendencies in Oz.
Under questioning from the Economic Committee of the House of Representatives, Reserve Bank Governor Stevens assesses fiscal policy, monetary policy and whether there is a housing bubble (pdf). Treasury Secretary Dr Ken Henry on Oz fiscal and monetary responses.