Global Business Context Assignment 2008 Part 1: France’s economic performance over the last 40 years can be illustrated using three main macroeconomic variables; unemployment, inflation and GDP. When comparing them against each other, we can explain the relationships between each variable. (A table of the variables can be found in the appendix.) This graph shows that although there appears to be no direct relationship between GDP and unemployment until after around 1986, a correlation begins after this point. As we would expect to see, GDP increases as the rate of unemployment falls and vice-versa. Unemployment has been increasing since 1970 and continued until around 1986, eventually peaking with very high rates of nearly 12% …show more content…
This part of supply side policy leads to a more efficient use of resources within the public sector and simultaneously, a reduction in its size. It should allow for investment to increase with no shift in the aggregate demand curve, avoiding rises in inflation. (Sloman 2005) Tax cuts also feature heavily in supply-side policy and were a key component of the Thatcher and Major governments between 1979 and 1997. Sarkozy has also proposed tax cuts, capping income tax at 50% for the highest earners. Twinned with making the 35 hour week more flexible by including tax free overtime in his policy, this reinforces Sarkozy’s slogan, ‘work more to earn more’. (bbc.co.uk) This may result in the substitution effect as people spend more time working and less time on leisure activities. How this will impact on the circular flow of income in the long run is uncertain as it is unpredictable whether the money will continue to circulate or the French will be inspired to save. Sarkozy’s recently executed policy to reduce the power of labour by passing a law restricting strikes is also similar to Thatcher’s policies which included weakening the influence of unions, resulting in them losing political pressure. (Sloman 2005) France currently has one of the lowest levels of trade union membership in Europe at only 9% compared with Germany’s 27%, UK’s 29% and Italy’s 30%, yet it has
The popular front led by Leon Blum, was the socialist government from 1936 which put in place the ‘Matignon Agreement’. Several developments established during the period of governing such as raising wages, and introducing the forty hour working week (James, 2003, p.124). Although they had in a sense united workers and employers, the adverse consequences resulted in a radicalised nation, with strong policing on tax evasion, and the reforms were substantially expensive (James, 2003, pp.124-125). Politically, the poor stability of the French economy didn’t allow Blum and his party to enforce their power across Europe. With the German economy recovering rapidly, and the vast military production, France simply didn’t have the resources to match up to the threat posed upon them (James, 2003, p.125).
A decrease in tax rates might be enacted to stimulate consumer spending. If households receive the tax cut but expect it to be reversed in the near future, they may hesitate to increase their spending. Believing that tax rates will rise again (and possibly concerned that they will rise to rates higher than before the tax cut), households may instead save their additional after-tax income in anticipation of needing to pay taxes in the future.
This will be beneficial in the long term because private sector will increase investment in capital goods, which is an injection into the circular flow of income and will also lead to a shift of the LRAS to the right. Secondly, the extent to which, if at all, cuts in public spending are unavoidable given the size of the budget deficit, so I feel that the government addressing this through cuts on public expenditure is a positive. Although, I do believe to some that significant cuts in some areas may lead to disruption and there may be some alternates such as increasing taxation and their relative merits.
There were many things that brought about the development of the economy in New France. They ranged from simple things like fishers and traders and then developed into a global scale market, with trade passing to and from Europe and New France regularly. This process evolved from a simple fishing operation to a market-driven colony with a massive network of trading posts, which in turn began the fur trade and monopolies which later led to the industrial development of New France.
The Depression was a gruesome time where people had worked relentlessly to survive. Unemployment today is as severe as it was in the 1930s, the unemployment rate of today is nowhere near the unemployment of the Great Depression. A pair of economists with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas created report called “A Historical Look at the Labor Market During Recessions”. The report is a graph of the WWII Recession, showing that the unemployment rate of a few years ago has past the unemployment rate of the WWII Recession. In 2008 the authors wrote the Unemployment Rate, it’s a report that describes the recessions of the past to the years of 2006 to 2011. The most of the recessions are above or near the average, but the highest recession is the Great Depression.
Beginning with unemployment in the 2007-2009 recession, U.S. unemployment rates peaked at 10% as well as held 41 consecutive months at rates higher than eight percent (Lazear 1). The U.S. economy plummeted during this time; many attributed the shift to a large decrease in the number of employed workers. To be able to better understand the unemployment issue, we must first examine the form of unemployment faced by the U.S. economy. Many believe that the changes faced by the U.S. labor market
Another country that suffered just as much as the United Kingdom had was France. Causes of their downward spiral were due to an underdeveloped economy. France’s industry was far inferior to Great Britain’s, particularly in farming. Tourism was also a big part of France’s economy, and during this time, many individuals simply did not have the money to travel around the world. France, like the United Kingdom, also suffered to recover from World War I. While not as bad, France relied heavily on German reparations, to pay for reconstruction. Once reparations had ceased, the Depression in France took place. Starting in 1931, France did not recover from the Depression until the remainder of the decade. During
Discuss the political, economic, and religious developments in France during the reign of King Louis XIV, and how the other states of Europe reacted to create a 'balance of power' designed to check France's rise in power and influence both in Europe and overseas.
At the beginning of World War II, France’s economy was similar to many other European countries also making efforts to recover and grow from the devastation of the First World War. However, one difference for France was the type of military strategy the government choose to invest in for the future. In the 1930s, the French administration invested huge sums of money into the defense budget. French leadership granted 3 billion francs for the construction of the Maginot Line. This was a significant amount of funding at the time and some experts estimate the actual cost after construction climbed to well over 7 billion francs. The construction effort was extensive and the design was intended to be sustainable in combat for long periods of
Employers initially resisted unions as they were seen as a ‘tool of worker power’, and some countries even banned the groups all together (Baoill 2011). Although these restraints have been lifted, restrictions and guidelines have been put in place by government bodies to govern union activity; and employees internationally have the right to form unions (Baoill 2011).
The nation’s government economic policy is to promote investment and domestic growth in a stable fiscal and monetary environment. Its top priority is to create jobs and reduce the high unemployment rate. The unemployment rate in metropolitan France increased to 9.5% in the first quarter of 2010, up from 9.2% in the third quarter of 2009. The government’s fiscal and monetary environment definitely is in goodwill of any business to be set up.
Analysis: To support the thesis that despite different histories and cultures, France and the United States have different economic outcomes, I use data from the World Factbook to compare different taxed systems in France and the U.S. as a comparative measure of the standard of living. I also use data from the World Factbook to compare different unemployment rate as a measurement of comparative efficiency. Finally, I use such data from the World Factbook to establish the difference of public debt and how many people are below the poverty line in each country as comparative measures of economic security. France efforts on their workers and wellbeing who in turn made their economy suffer has a public debt of 95.5% of GDP. The need to change their labor market and promote more job growth has been a challenge for this country.
Because since the finances had always been a mystery, Necker believed that it was time to finally show the people of France how much of their tax money was being spent and on what. Also he believed that knowing France's finances would help with debt and give the people more confidence, as proven when he says "it is important to found confidence on more solid
Unions have a positive impact on workers lives and in the workforce. Unions and employers have the bargaining power that can affect wage determination, atmosphere of the workplace and environment (Ferguson, 1994, p. 387). Individuals that are not part of a union have no bargaining power, which could be frightening (Ferguson, 1994, p. 388). Unions are powerful due to the fact they are able to change certain factors in the workplace by having their voices heard. “Having a voice is a key aspect as it can sometimes reduce the negative aspects of the firm” (Ferguson, 1994, p. 392). It is quite interesting to see that neoliberals challenge unions by suggesting to them that a union renewal is essential (Camfield, 2007, p. 283). At times a union renewal
In supply side economics, it can be best summed up when Ronald Reagan stated in his inaugural address regarding economy, "Government is not the solution oto our problem, government is the problem." The idea is lowering tax rates can increase production, better allocate resources. The economy best performs when it's not regulated, in this case the "invisible hand" is at play and reglauates it to the highest possible effieciency. This idea is supposed to spur economic growth, and promote economic investment.