the real causes by howard nicholas
TRANSCRIPT
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THE REAL CAUSES OF THE RECENT ECONOMIC CRISIS
AND CURRENT ECONOMIC TURMOIL
Howard NicholasInternational Institute of Social Studies,
Erasmus University Rotterdam
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• Severe economic and financial crises in period 2007-9
• Renewed weakness in the global economy from mid-2010 onwards– Falling GDP and industrial production growth– Continuing high unemployment– Loss of confidence in countries with excessive
debts – the Eurozone crisis– Considerable volatility in global financial markets
The Global Economic Problems
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(Data Source: Economist, Calculated by author)
Weakening industrial production and real GDP growth in advanced countries,
2008 (Jan) – present (Jun 2013)
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(Data Source: Economist, Calculated by the author)
Weakening industrial production and real GDP growth in developing countries,
2008 (Jan) – present (Jun 2013)
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(Data Source: Economist, Calculated by the author)
Unemployment still high in advanced countries,
2008 (Jan) – present (Jun 2013)
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• Reductions in interest rates and printing of money (to aid banking system)
• Budget deficits (also to bail out banks)• Bail-outs of banks and some non-financial
corporations (1)
Major policy responses to 2007-9 crisis and ensuring
global economic turmoil
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• Government monetary and fiscal irresponsibility in the advanced countries coupled with exchange rate manipulation by the Chinese.
• Speculative excesses by the financial sector in the advanced countries coupled with mercantilist policies of the Chinese and other Asian economies.
Standard explanations for the global economic problems
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THE REAL REASONS FOR THE CRISIS AND THE CONTINUING TURMOIL
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• Shift in balance of global economic power away from the U.S. and towards Europe and Developing countries.
• Workings of cycles, especially the long cycle – end of phase in which financial sector becomes too big
• Fall or stagnation in real wage levels in the U.S. (and other advanced countries) hidden by an excessive expansion of credit (1)
• Misguided policies and data manipulation in the advanced countries have aggravated problems.
Real causes
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THE SHIFT IN GLOBAL ECONOMIC POWER
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THE BUSINESS CYCLE
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A Typical Cycle
• Output growth up
• Inflation up• Interest rates up
• Output growth down
• Inflation down• Interest rates down
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Types of Cycles
Cycle Duration Source
K-Wave 50-60 yrs Major innovations
Juglar 7-11 yrs Fixed capital investments
Kitchin 3-4 yrs Inventory capital changes
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Combining waves
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Long cycle
phases
upswing
downswing
Long Cycle Phases• Major tech, innovations lead to rise in profits,
investment and output
• Prices rise towards end of phase (technological and production capacity limits are reached)
• Primary commodity prices peak by the middle of the upswing
• Profits, investment and output growth fall
• Unemployment rises and real wages and prices fall…debt rises
• Primary commodity prices bottom and then start to rise
• Shift in global economic power accelerates
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(Source: Goldstein 1988 (modified))
Long Cycle DatingTrough Peak Trough Duration Hegemonic
PowerTechnology
1790 1814 1848 58 Britain Canals
1848 1872 1893 45 Britain Railways, Steam (steam engine)
1893 1917 1940 47 Britain Steel, Combustion engine, Electricity, Chemicals, Telephone
1940 1975 2000 60 United States
Electronics, Plastics, Aerospace, Nuclear energy
2000 2030 2050 50 United States
Computers, Biotechnology, Robotics
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Long Cycle Interest Rates, US 20 yr bonds, 1954 – 2012
* 1987-92 data is estimate (Data Source: US Federal Reserve St.Louis)
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FUTURE PROSPECTS
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Short-term prospects
• Should be another global recession, led by recession in the US by 2014 at the latest
• Return to easy monetary policies in the advanced countries
• Continuing tightening of fiscal policies in advanced countries
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1958
1970
1975 (oil shock)
1980
1991
2001
2008
2014/5
Juglar dating – cycle bottoms
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U.S. Imports, growth rate 1993 – April 2013
(Source: ECRI, 3rd June 2013)
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Longer-term prognosis
• Stagnation in the advanced countries (1)– Continuing migration of production to developing
countries– Continuing high unemployment– Continuing high government debt and budget deficits– Inflation problems
• More rapid growth in the developing countries (2)– Continuing growth of Asia – possible formation of a
monetary union
– Rise of Latin America and Africa
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Cyclical movement of US debt
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All primary commodities,2000 (Jan) – 2013 (3rd Sep)
(Source: Economists, Chart by author)
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Palm oil,2000 (Jan) – 2013 (Aug)
(Source: International Monetary Fund, Chart by author)
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Rubber,2000 (Jan) – 2013 (Aug)
(Source: International Monetary Fund, Chart by author)