Questions tagged [economy]
Questions relating to economic theory or economic policy of any country or the international community.
8
votes
4answers
2k views
Why couldn't Russia grow its economy as fast as China did?
Russia has a population comparable to Japan. But, the size of its GDP is below South Korea.
Why couldn't Russia grow its economy as fast as China did?
What factors prevented Russia from becoming an ...
6
votes
1answer
403 views
Did IMF grant a loan with no (reform) conditions to Romania in 2009?
I've been looking at some of the more recent IMF loans and the Wikipedia description of the one given to Romania appears to imply no reform conditions were attached to the loan:
While in January ...
5
votes
1answer
447 views
Why do countries almost always oppose IMF's proposed reforms?
Dhaka to oppose reforms to IMF debt limits policy
Mugabe dumps IMF reforms, vows to keep price control
Greece opposed to IMF demands on labor reforms
Between a rock and a hard place: Tunisia and the ...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
Do any states within the U.S. plan to introduce legislation which would enable a deduction similar to the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction?
I understand that the Qualified Business Income deduction, introduced into law by the Tax Cuts and Job Act of 2017, is applicable at the federal level as a 20% deduction of qualified business income ...
9
votes
5answers
1k views
Is there a stated goal in the US “Trade War”?
I'll call it a Trade War, because I don't know that there is a more appropriate phrase.
Initially I understood the administration's goal was to stimulate US producers to be more productive, so as to ...
1
vote
2answers
332 views
Where can I find a scatter plot of welfare spending vs. immigrant rate?
Where can I find a scatter plot of welfare spending (per capita, % of spending, or % of GDP) vs. immigrant rate (per capita, or % of population)? By state or by country would be fine. I tried to ...
6
votes
3answers
607 views
Any problems with zero corporate income tax?
Larry Kudlow (who is currently Trump's National Economic Council director) had proposed in 2014 zero corporate income tax, arguing that
Readers know that corporate tax reform is my single-favorite ...
-4
votes
1answer
207 views
Why don't people who are upset about economic inequality donate to the poor?
The middle-class American often moans about economic inequality, but there's another aspect to the same issue as well: yes, the middle-class American makes far less than Donald Trump or Bill Gates, ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
How to avoid the “race to the bottom”?
When talking about "trickle-down economics" (or supply-side economics, to use the correct, but lesser known term), one of the main criticism points is that it may work when only a few countries ...
5
votes
2answers
332 views
Macron's “lead climbers” (vs. trickle down)
Are there more details on Macron's vision of how tax cuts will positively affect (French) society? I found a story from last year his rejection of the well-known “trickle-down” economics narrative, ...
0
votes
1answer
151 views
Which position in Russia is more powerful in the field of economy?
Which position in Russia is more powerful in the field of the economy:
Chairman of the Accounts Chamber
Minister of Finance
and why?
6
votes
0answers
121 views
Are counter-tariffs to the Trump tariffs going through the WTO?
Under WTO rules there is a dispute settlement process which WTO member states are expected to go through to settle trade disputes.
Trump has sidestepped this process by declaring the steel and ...
1
vote
1answer
316 views
How do you explain the change in population ratio of Germany vs. Switzerland since 1945?
When you read newspapers nowadays, you'd get the opinion that the economy in Germany is doing "great".
However, when I plot the population development in Germany vs. Switzerland, I get a very ...
3
votes
3answers
373 views
Can IMF encourage countries to Democracy in exchange of loans?
In conclusion of this paper it is mentioned that:
There is a robust and positive relationship between democracy and
economic growth
We know that, the final goal of IMF is to establishing peace, ...
4
votes
0answers
113 views
What are the potential negative outcomes of US strategy against Iran? [closed]
The current US administration has a clear strategy with respect to Iran: maximum economic sanctions in lieu of the previous nuclear deal. But, what are the potential negative outcomes of this policy ...
2
votes
1answer
183 views
Trump's pre-election claims. How many are in progress? [closed]
Trump's pre-election company was bright. There were big pre-election claims:
breaking disadvantageous deals
wall on Mexican border
removing 'Obamacare'
moving embassy to Jerusalem
new workplaces for ...
2
votes
0answers
83 views
Why did UK have lax checks on the source of the money coming into the country?
According to this article checks on the source of the money coming into Britain were very lax, thus (at least theoretically) allowing for money laundering:
For seven years from 2008, checks on the ...
5
votes
1answer
137 views
Were there any impact estimations performed before making tariffs changes?
Where I live I often hear local media arguing that some legislative changes are performed without impact assessment (this includes both political and economical actors).
From a layman's perspective, ...
16
votes
3answers
5k views
What reasons do pro-trade politicians use to justify retaliatory tariffs?
The general "neoliberal" position towards trade is that it benefits both sides and low tariffs/subsidies are beneficial. This has been the dominant trend in wealthy nations for the last thirty plus ...
56
votes
3answers
13k views
What is Canada's case for applying tariffs on US dairy?
Donald Trump has been making a lot of noise the past few days about Canada's protection of its dairy industry, and cites that practice as the justification for the steel and aluminum tariffs he has ...
13
votes
2answers
3k views
Why are sugar subsidies so prevalent in spite of their apparent issues?
According to this article there seem to be lots of countries that subsidy sugar production:
Pakistan struggles to export sugar surplus as global prices plunge
Morocco sees sharp rise in ...
2
votes
1answer
133 views
What political actions (if any) in the US caused this stock market stagnation? [closed]
I am looking at the stock market, and there's a clear point where things started declining and then stagnating.
What was the cause for this point? Was it political? I don't remember hearing about any ...
1
vote
0answers
70 views
Why is Stability and Growth Pact still maintained?
According to Wikipedia article about Stability and Growth Pact there are many issues related to its implementation:
unenforceable against big countries
weakened in 2005 to waive France's and Germany'...
1
vote
3answers
491 views
USA Politicians to shut down the Federal Reserve
The American Federal Reserve has some criticism According to Wikipedia:
Critique of the organization and system has come
from sources such as writers, journalists, economists, and financial
...
4
votes
2answers
258 views
What is the justification of imposing higher minimum salary for foreign workers than for the local ones?
According to this article and this one, the minimum monthly salary for foreign workers in Romania is significantly larger than the minimum one for local workers:
Effective January 6, 2018, the ...
4
votes
5answers
490 views
If Jim, a random citizen, owes TD Bank $300,000 for his house mortgage, is this added to the U.S. national debt?
According to Wikipedia: National debt consists of two components. The first is
Debt held by the public, such as Treasury securities held by investors outside the federal government, including ...
5
votes
3answers
314 views
How did Poland and Hungary manage to take over (nationalize) mandatory private pensions without breaking private property right?
Mandatory private pensions are still in focus in Romania after the Government thought about suspending contributions to them:
The Government may suspend the contributions to mandatory private
...
38
votes
3answers
8k views
What was Eisenhower's warning about?
Eisenhower in his farewell address warned the American people about the United States Military Industrial Complex and its emerging power.
According to Wikipedia The US spends more on the military ...
91
votes
11answers
28k views
Why is Globalisation so disdained?
From what I can tell via the definition of the word on Google, Globalisation seems like a fairly reasonable course of action.
Trade makes everyone better off in the long run, and it isn't as if we ...
6
votes
1answer
339 views
Can tiny territories expect to survive upon independence?
There are several French territories which request1 independence: Corsica, New Caledonia, Guiana (among others).
Putting aside the actual backing of the majority of local population (which these ...
2
votes
3answers
182 views
Why is donation related taxation significantly smaller than inheritance taxation?
Note: this is related to this question
Inheritance tax seems to vary very much from one state/country to another and where I live is virtually nonexistent (you pay 1% only if inheritance is disputed ...
2
votes
0answers
102 views
What would be the social and political consequences if a major country decided to prohibit driverless cars? [closed]
In the news, there's been talk of countries banning petrol and diesel cars by 2030-2040, but what if a major country - say for example; Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and South Africa; decided ...
13
votes
1answer
2k views
Why does EU seem to disfavor e-books when compared to physical books?
According to this article EU court decided that e-books should not benefit from tax reductions that are applied to physical books:
E-books must be subject to the full rate of value-added tax (VAT), ...
10
votes
2answers
2k views
What are the main reasons for capping interest rates in Spain?
Romanian Parliament is trying to adopt a law to cap the interest rates for all loans:
According to the form adopted by the Senate’s committees, the annual
effective interest rate, also known as ...
5
votes
1answer
859 views
How will Trump’s tariffs affect North Korea?
How will Trump’s tariffs affect North Korea? Do tariffs mainly worsen the condition of the North Korean economy?
59
votes
17answers
20k views
Why would the government force its population to save for retirement?
Here in Denmark we pretty much have "forced" retirement saving. Almost everybody in regular employment pays about $15 a month plus 12% of their monthly salary into a pension fund. [1]
You can save ...
76
votes
16answers
18k views
What ethical (if any) or economical arguments are offered in defense of the inheritance tax?
Although I am normally quite supportive of higher taxation, I've never really felt comfortable with the inheritance tax. I see no reason why the government should tax the money a parent wishes to ...
0
votes
3answers
149 views
Special autonomous Regions
Hong Kong and Macau are Special Autonomous Regions of China and are economically prosperous. Has the economy of mainland China benefited from these SARs? If a country like India give similar autonomy ...
7
votes
1answer
408 views
Does the DEA have authority to prohibit any substance?
According to the DEA’s Denial of Petition To Initiate Proceedings To Reschedule Marijuana from 2011, one reason for the cannabis plant’s Schedule I status is because it has “no currently accepted ...
6
votes
5answers
660 views
If medication prices in the US are higher than in other countries, why not import from there?
In the United States, many medications are much more expensive than in other countries (see for example How the U.S. Pays 3 Times More for Drugs).
This is a serious problem for many patients, and ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Why is Hawaii's unemployment rate so low when they have such little economic freedom?
Hawaii's unemployment rate is the lowest in the nation (2.1%).
https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm
Yet they are almost last in economic freedom (#48).
https://www.freedominthe50states.org/...
58
votes
10answers
15k views
What will happen if China stops loaning money to the U.S.?
US's external debt to china is a staggering 1.1 trillion US dollars and according to many economists, it's highly unlikely that U.S. will be able to pay back the entire external debt to China in the ...
4
votes
3answers
202 views
Why do developing nations keep far more bigger forex reserves than developed nations?
I came across this list of countries with their forex reserves and what's interesting is that the developing nations (also some of fastest growing economies) like India, China, Brazil, Thailand are ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
Have tariffs/protectionism ever worked?
Has there been a case where an increase in import taxes was linked to an improved economic status in a country? Ie - resulted in net jobs saved, increased GDP etc. It doesn't need to necessarily be ...
3
votes
1answer
497 views
Are there economic benefits to federalism?
The Philippines may be implementing some form of federalism.
Are there economic benefits to federalism? I ask because I observe that both Malaysia and the United States have some kind of federalism, ...
3
votes
2answers
186 views
What are US equities?
Referring to the chart:
What do the units represent? Is it directly related to GNP?
3
votes
6answers
651 views
Why do politicians care so much about economic growth? Or: Why did the US need a tax reform?
In the US, economic growth does not seem so hard to achieve. If you look at the GDP of the United States, it seems to just grow and grow. Even the multiple crises along the way have only had minor ...
0
votes
1answer
196 views
Corruption, efficiency and economic success of the Chinese government
Chinese Government is accused of massive corruption, some critics say that the censorship does not allow the revelation of corruption in China. How did the Communist Party of China from 1976 onwards ...
3
votes
1answer
443 views
What is public credit?
In a quote by President Hoover referring to a veto, he stated:
With the utmost seriousness I urge the Congress to enact a relief
measure, but I can not approve the measure before me, fraught as ...
7
votes
4answers
657 views
Is there any record of Keynesian Economics improving the economy?
The ideological opposite to this question, whether Trickle-down Economics has improved any economy, has been asked. The accepted answer insinuates that Trickle-down Economics probably does not work in ...
