Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Preface
- 1 Introduction: Is Macroeconomics Useful?
- 2 Trends and Cycles, Shocks and Stability
- 3 Determinants of Aggregate Spending and Saving
- 4 Production Functions and Growth Accounting
- 5 The Macroeconomics of “the” Labor Market
- 6 Understanding US Inflation Dynamics
- 7 What Does Monetary Policy Do?
- 8 What Does Fiscal Policy Do?
- 9 Conclusion: Is (Macro)economics Useful?
- Appendix A Measuring Prices
- Appendix B Measuring Output
- Appendix C Measuring Employment
- Appendix D Seasonal Adjustment in a (Very Small) Nutshell
- Appendix E Other Odds and Ends
- Bibliography
- Index
9 - Conclusion: Is (Macro)economics Useful?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 March 2024
- Frontmatter
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Preface
- 1 Introduction: Is Macroeconomics Useful?
- 2 Trends and Cycles, Shocks and Stability
- 3 Determinants of Aggregate Spending and Saving
- 4 Production Functions and Growth Accounting
- 5 The Macroeconomics of “the” Labor Market
- 6 Understanding US Inflation Dynamics
- 7 What Does Monetary Policy Do?
- 8 What Does Fiscal Policy Do?
- 9 Conclusion: Is (Macro)economics Useful?
- Appendix A Measuring Prices
- Appendix B Measuring Output
- Appendix C Measuring Employment
- Appendix D Seasonal Adjustment in a (Very Small) Nutshell
- Appendix E Other Odds and Ends
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The inability of mainstream macroeconomic analysis to sensibly answer important practical questions is reviewed. The problem is discussed in terms of the incentives that mainstream academic economists face regarding career advancement, and the resulting (and increasingly negative) effect on economic analysis in policy institutions is documented. The social role of economics is considered, and a code of conduct for policy analysts is proposed.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- A Practical Guide to Macroeconomics , pp. 227 - 238Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024