Category: Essentials of Economics: Ch 15

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The IMF remains blind to global imbalances

The article linked to below from the Guardian by Larry Elliott argues that there are significant global imbalances in the world economy and that the IMF has to an extent ignored these imbalances. He argues that the sub-prime mortgage crisis, exchange rate movements and the rapid rise in oil prices are creating significant problems for the world economy.

Questions

1. Explain the main global imbalances identified by Larry Elliott in the article.
2. Analyse the likely impact of these imbalances on the global level of economic growth.
3. Explain the statement in the article: “Like many other countries in the region, the lesson China learned from the Asian financial crisis of 1997 was that it needed to build up a war chest of foreign exchange reserves that could be deployed in the event of a speculative attack.”
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Holiday at home?

In complete contrast to the holidaying habits of the Blair family, Gordon Brown chose to take his holiday this year in Weymouth on the Dorset Coast. Is he setting us a good example? Should we all be holidaying at home to support the UK economy? In the article below, David Smith looks at the impact of holidaying abroad on the UK balance of payments.

Holiday at home and do your bit for Blighty Times Online (26/8/07)

Questions

1. Examine the impact of growing overseas travel on the UK balance of payments.
2. Assess the impact of a reduced tourism deficit on the rest of the UK economy.
3. Discuss policies that the government could adopt to help encourage a reduction in the balance of payments deficit on tourism.
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A little money goes a long way – microfinance

The article below from the BBC website looks at the issue of microfinance – the provision of very small loans as a form of development assistance to help people in developing countries to support themselves and develop their businesses.

Small loans to women make big changes BBC News Online (21/8/07)

Questions

1. Explain what is meant by microfinancing.
2. Examine the reasons why microfinancing is considered more effective at promoting economic development (as opposed to economic growth).
3. Assess the extent to which microfinancing could help in other developing countries to promote economic development.
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Will the global rush to bio-fuel cause poverty?

In its first report on the impact of bio-fuels, the United Nations (UN) has warned that such fuels may increase poverty in developing countries and have a wider environmental impact than has in the past been suggested. With oil prices at a record high and with climate change pressures, much of the developed world has adopted targets for bio-fuels, but environmentalists have warned that the rush to grow the raw materials for bio-fuels may be more damaging to the environment than the fossil fuels they will replace.

Global rush to energy crops threatens to bring food shortages and increase poverty, says UN Guardian (9/5/07)
UN warns on impacts of biofuels BBC News Online (9/5/07)
UN raises doubts on biofuels Guardian (9/5/07)


Questions
1. What are the external costs and external benefits resulting from the use of bio-fuels as opposed to fossil fuels?
2. Using diagrams as appropriate, show the impact of increased use of bio-fuels on the social equilibrium in the market for fuel.
3. Assess policies that European governments could put in place to ensure that the move towards increased use of bio-fuels has a positive environmental impact.
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The World Bank has the perfect standard bearer

The World Bank and the IMF are no strangers to criticism. Both organisations have pursued controversial policies in their attempts to improve the lot of people in developing countries. Recent events at the World Bank have heightened criticism of the organisation and in the first article below Naomi Klein (author of No Logo – nologo.org) argues that the behaviour of Paul Wolfowitz is symptomatic of a wider hypocrisy in the behaviour of the World Bank around the world. In the second article George Monbiot writes a criticism of the behaviour of the IMF and its approach.

Questions

1. Use the web sites of the IMF and the World Bank to write a summary of their roles.
2. Assess the validity of the arguments of (a) George Monbiot with respect to the IMF and (b) Naomi Klein with respect to the World Bank.
3. Discuss possible changes in World Bank policies that would help address Naomi Klein’s criticisms.