Category: Economics

Economics-driven content, perfect for students and teachers alike. Highly accessible and open to all.

Smoke stack with yellow sign reading "carbon tax" in the foreground
Economics, Environment, US

Should a form of Carbon Pricing be introduced in the US?

Since 1896, when global warming was first publicly shown to be a consequence of burning fossil fuels, humanity has wrestled with the conundrum of how best to respond to this looming threat. Against the background of politicisation associated with climate change, economists have argued over the benefits and detriments of introducing a carbon tax: a way of taxing companies which emit greenhouse gases so as … Continue reading Should a form of Carbon Pricing be introduced in the US?

Unknown's avatarJamie Ginsberg1 Comment
Professor Cass Sunstein giving a speech
Behavioural, Interviews, Long Read, Politics, US

An interview with Professor Cass Sunstein: Nudges, economic systems, and freedom

Cees Armstrong and I had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Sunstein, the Robert Walmsley Professor at Harvard Law School. Professor Sunstein is the best-selling author of many books, including the critically acclaimed Nudge, as well as the most cited law scholar of all time. He now works with the US government. Continue reading An interview with Professor Cass Sunstein: Nudges, economic systems, and freedom

Unknown's avatarVimal KamathLeave a comment
Economics, International

Price Controls on Essentials During the Pandemic

The phrase “time of crisis and shortage” is certainly applicable to the coronavirus pandemic; it refers to a period of difficulty where specific items cannot be obtained in sufficient amounts due to shortages in quantity supplied. This may encourage societal inequalities.  For example, in order to prevent a future lack of essential goods, higher income earners are better placed to “hoard” such goods, as the … Continue reading Price Controls on Essentials During the Pandemic

Unknown's avatarStanley GrewalLeave a comment
Economics, International

Interstellar Economics

In 1978 Dr Paul Krugman wrote a paper entitled The Theory of Interstellar Trade, supposedly to cheer himself up. Yet despite the self-described “silly” nature of the work, it contained serious analysis, and since being written has inspired several more works on the economic implications of interstellar travel. The chief issue that economists have grappled with is that of time dilation. In short, Einstein’s theory … Continue reading Interstellar Economics

Unknown's avatarMilo DennisonLeave a comment
Business and Technology, Development, Finance and Markets

Central Bank Digital Currencies: catalyst for financial inclusion?

Evolution of Money Traditionally, money is a metal token or a slip of paper symbolising a value of credit based upon people’s trust in it. Its three primary functions (store of value, means of exchange, and unit of measurement) have been served by constantly evolving means for 3000 years. The latest in this evolution is the digital currency. Unlike any type of currency to precede … Continue reading Central Bank Digital Currencies: catalyst for financial inclusion?

Unknown's avatarHari Nair1 Comment
Featured image of graph showing UK annual exports
Chart of the Month

Chart of the Month – May 2021

This month’s Chart of the Month tracks the value of UK exports over time to both EU countries and non-EU countries. The most significant trend is that an increasing percentage of our exports are headed to markets other than the EU. Between 2010 and 2015, European demand for British exports remained low due to a slow recovery from the financial crisis and a weak euro … Continue reading Chart of the Month – May 2021

Unknown's avatarTristan HandLeave a comment
Bus passing the Bank of England at night
Economics, Podcast, UK

Assessing the Virtues of Negative Interest Rates

Early this year, the Bank of England (BoE) was reported to have instructed banks to prepare for negative interest rates within six months.  The BoE purportedly did so as part of its plans for a monetary stimulus to resuscitate the UK economy ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.  Economists have since been divided on whether driving the BoE’s base rate from the already ultra-low 0.1% to … Continue reading Assessing the Virtues of Negative Interest Rates

Unknown's avatarMarco Bulat4 Comments
Development, Finance and Markets, International, Podcast

Sovereign Wealth Funds: Asset or Liability?

A Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) is a fund managed by the state and comprised of income generated from the government’s surplus reserves. SWFs have been an important aspect of the economic landscape for almost two decades, and their numbers have increased dramatically since the 2008 Financial Crisis, with over 100 funds controlling nearly $8 trillion in assets globally. Many Sovereign Wealth Funds have enjoyed great … Continue reading Sovereign Wealth Funds: Asset or Liability?

Unknown's avatarSachin ThakrarLeave a comment