In recent weeks, the issue of tax avoidance has surged into the United States presidential election. It gained momentum Sept. 26 during the first presidential debate when Republican candidate Donald Trump said that not paying federal income taxes made him “smart.” It moved to the forefront Oct. 1 with the revelation by the New York Times that Trump had declared a $916 million … [Read more...] about Is Being ‘Smart’ About Taxes Contagious?
Macroeconomics and Finance
How to Adjust: 10 Priorities for Emerging Economies
Many emerging economies, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, are facing growing debt, fiscal deficits and low growth. Given the direction of debt-to-GDP ratios, many countries are choosing “adjustment” to maintain sustainability. In this blog, I offer 10 priorities that might guide a period of Considerate Consolidation. Priority 1: Speed. If output is at potential … [Read more...] about How to Adjust: 10 Priorities for Emerging Economies
Latin America’s Macroeconomic Update: Looking Up
At the end of the third quarter, the growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean was an estimated -0.6% for 2016. For the first time since 1982-83, the region is expected to post two consecutive years of negative growth. However, looking beyond the numbers there is some good news in this latest report. To begin with, things looked considerably worse earlier in the … [Read more...] about Latin America’s Macroeconomic Update: Looking Up
The Spinning Wheel of Economic Analysis
“The wheel is come full circle,” wrote William Shakespeare and so it seems has the progress of economic ideas in the view of Augusto de la Torre, the Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Bank. Economics is largely about supply and demand and the intersection of the two. But De la Torre, in an eminent career including stints as the president of … [Read more...] about The Spinning Wheel of Economic Analysis
Democracy Does Not Cause Growth
Does democracy cause more economic prosperity and growth? This question dates back to Plato and Aristotle’s debate regarding which form of government brings more political and economic gain to society. However, after more than two millennia, there seems to be no clear consensus about whether democracy (in and of itself) delivers more economic growth than autocratic forms of … [Read more...] about Democracy Does Not Cause Growth