The Paradox of Thrift

The Paradox of Thrift: When Saving Hurts the Economy   Traditionally, saving money is seen as a positive action. Keeping money in reserve for emergencies and potential issues in the future is surely a good thing both for you and for those around you. However, this seemingly responsible and innocent action can have extraordinarily negative consequences for a nation’s economy and growth if savings reach excessively … Continue reading The Paradox of Thrift

The UK and Global Protectionism

How can the UK respond to global protectionism?  The consequences of protectionism  Since January of this year, $10 trillion [El Pais, 2025] has been wiped from the stock markets by the tariffs placed by the US, threatening to place the global economy in a negative feedback loop as trade restrictions heighten geopolitical tensions, triggering economic fallout among interdependent nations reliant on shared markets and industrial inputs, … Continue reading The UK and Global Protectionism

The Psychology of Marginal Utility

The first bite is often much more enjoyable than the fifth bite.  We love and experience the way we eat. Everyone knows that the first bite of a snack is like a sweet dream or heaven, the next bite technically still has similar if not the same taste and satisfaction but the fourth or fifth bite is not giving you the same pleasure or satisfaction, … Continue reading The Psychology of Marginal Utility

The Dot-Com Bubble

The late 1990s saw a revolutionary tech boom – the beginning of the internet. It was an era of thrilling innovation and optimism, with a promise of a “new economy” driven by advanced technology changing how things worked. Investors saw an opportunity in each new tech company and website, believing each one would be the next “revolution.”  The psychology behind investing is complex, and many … Continue reading The Dot-Com Bubble

The Basic Two Sector Model

Economics is the study of complex interactions between different agents of society—individuals, businesses, governments, and the global economy. Economic models make these interactions easier to understand. The most fundamental example is the two-sector model of the circular flow of income, which focuses on how economic activity is conducted through these interactions.   The two-sector model provides the foundation for understanding how income is generated, distributed, and spent. … Continue reading The Basic Two Sector Model

Perfect and Monopolistic Competition

Perfect Competition vs. Monopoly: Who Really Sets the Price?   In the real world, the pricing of goods and services can fluctuate wildly due to a plethora of economic and social factors. However, over time, economists have developed various models to simulate real-world pricing but in differing conditions; while there are, of course, multiple models, the two models that occupy opposing ends of the spectrum are … Continue reading Perfect and Monopolistic Competition

EV Subsidies

This essay considers whether current electric vehicle (EV) subsidy policies are effective in reducing carbon emissions, focusing especially on how consumer behaviour and usage patterns impact net carbon emissions.   There are four different premises and possible situations for buyers who are considering the adoption of EVs. Firstly, households that currently own no vehicle and will purchase an EV. Alternatively a buyer that owns an ICEV (Internal … Continue reading EV Subsidies

Japan and its Rice Crises

When you think of the Japanese economy, what immediately comes to your mind? The supposed “lost decade”, its deflationary policies or zero interest rates that reduce the effectiveness of its fiscal policies? Or perhaps, you think more positively, zooming in on the advanced technology industry or its high investments in human capital. But what you probably didn’t think about, unless you read the title, were … Continue reading Japan and its Rice Crises

The Role of Innovation in the Job Market

Technology and innovation are increasingly becoming more efficient, exponentially increasing the power of information technology, having a knock on effect on the economy. Essential jobs are comprised of tasks in which automation can become a substitute, lowering the amount of jobs required for the same final effect. However, it is essential that we understand the interactions between these technologies and employment. Significantly, this technology can … Continue reading The Role of Innovation in the Job Market

Hong Kong’s Economic Turning Point

Hong Kong’s Turning Point: Turbulence to Transformation? Since the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997, the Hong Kong government has depended on limiting the release of land parcels to drive up prices and maximize revenue, allowing it to maintain low taxes, which in turn attracts businesses, talent, and foreign investment. Branded as “Asia’s World City”, Hong Kong rose rapidly to become the widely … Continue reading Hong Kong’s Economic Turning Point