Author: Etonomics

International

An Investigation into Microfinance in India

“Microfinance is an idea whose time has come.” – Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the UN Since independence in 1947, India has prioritised the issues of poverty, rural livelihoods, and women’s economic and social empowerment. Whilst the percentage of Indians who live rurally has been declining since 1951  , this figure still stands at a staggering ≈64% . Poverty in India is also concentrated in rural … Continue reading An Investigation into Microfinance in India

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History, International

The Roman Financial Crisis of AD 33

When considering Ancient Rome, we usually conjure up images like grandiose temples of white marble and soldiers with rectangular shields, but the Roman financial system was, like many other aspects of their society, ahead of its time in terms of complexity, ingenuity, and efficiency: so much so, in fact, that it resembled our modern financial system in many respects. Therefore, it should not be of … Continue reading The Roman Financial Crisis of AD 33

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Inflation Tiles on Dollars
International

The Death of Fiscal Policy as a counter to Inflation

Over the last 50 years, fiscal policy has played a limited role in controlling inflation in Britain, with Harold Wilson’s government being the last to use the policy to manage inflation on a large scale. Unfortunately for Wilson, it was the sensational failure of these policies that greatly contributed to the death of fiscal policy as an inflation management tool. In this essay, I will … Continue reading The Death of Fiscal Policy as a counter to Inflation

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International

How FIFA currency incentivises increased consumer spending

FIFA, the football computer game from EA Sports, has proven the most durable source of ‘in-game’ spending by players of any computer game in history, with over $1bn  spent in each of the past three years. The essay below discusses how the design of the game, and the currency system within it, encourage such purchases. To do this, I have first sought to describe the … Continue reading How FIFA currency incentivises increased consumer spending

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International

Immigration – beneficial or an unnecessary cost?

“Illegal immigration hurts American workers; burdens American taxpayers; and . . . costs our country billions and billions of dollars each year.”, claims former President Donald Trump, voicing the concerns of a large proportion of the US population. Such opinion was further reciprocated by 44% of UK citizens hoping to see a decrease in immigration, and these sentiments were even expressed with Australia’s One nation … Continue reading Immigration – beneficial or an unnecessary cost?

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History, International

How Ancient Rome Shows That Price Controls Don’t Work

UK inflation is running away, currently at 7% (CPI), the highest rate for 30 years. News reports are full of apocalyptic stories expecting the worst fall in living standards since records began in 1956. This is causing anxiety for all but the wealthiest. A recent poll by Opinium suggests 71% of voters would support price controls on essential goods, like food, clothing and transport. I … Continue reading How Ancient Rome Shows That Price Controls Don’t Work

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International

An investigation into the finances of the Church of England

After Pope Clement VII refused to approve the annulment of Henry VII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, urged by the King, the English Parliament passed a series of acts that separated the English church from the Roman hierarchy. This was the first official establishment of the Church . Since then the Church of England has gone through many changes, its’ importance in the world fluctuating … Continue reading An investigation into the finances of the Church of England

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International

The IKEA Effect: When Creation Leads to Overvaluation

When instant cake mixes were introduced in the 1950’s as part of a broader trend to simplify the life of the American housewife, housewives were initially resistant: the simplicity of the mixes made women feel self-indulgent for using them, and as a result, women weren’t able to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment which comes with the manual labour of baking a cake. In subsequent years, … Continue reading The IKEA Effect: When Creation Leads to Overvaluation

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News

News Briefing – 20/06/22

We’ve summarised the top stories of the last week into an easily digestible briefing, so that you can stay up to date on what’s happening around the world. You can subscribe to receive the briefing in your inbox each week. UK Business & Economics 40,000 RMT staff at Network Rail and 13 train operating companies will walk out from Tuesday, causing widespread disruption for a … Continue reading News Briefing – 20/06/22

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