Standard Tools of Expansionary Monetary Policy
Essay 1
Macropoland, a country that is a natural gas and oil importer, has a natural rate of unemployment (at the full employment level of GDP) that is about 4.5%, and the long run average rate of inflation over time has been about 2%. However, during the period 1973-1974, the country experienced an inflation rate of about 15% while simultaneously experiencing unemployment of nearly 13%. At the present time, Macropoland is experiencing very sluggish consumption and investment (a result of a fall in the housing market), and unemployment has again edged up to around 9%. Inflation is very low at 0.4%. Macropoland has just hired you as their economic advisor. You have a big job ahead of you. Using your knowledge of aggregate demand and aggregate supply, can you explain what happened in these two time periods? Develop a response that includes examples and evidence to support your ideas, and which clearly communicates the required message to your audience. Organize your response in a clear and logical manner as appropriate for the genre of writing. Use well-structured sentences, audience-appropriate language, and correct conventions of standard American English.
Essay 2
Macropoland is currently experiencing a recession–consumption and investment are very sluggish, and unemployment is quite high at 9%. Currently, inflation is very low at 0.4% (the historical average rate of inflation is about 2%). The Macropolish President has just hired you as her economic advisor. Your job is to prescribe policy that would enable the economy to recover from the recession. Explain how you could use the standard tools of expansionary monetary policy and expansionary fiscal policy to stimulate this economy towards economic growth. Develop a response that includes examples and evidence to support your ideas, and which clearly communicates the required message to your audience. Organize your response in a clear and logical manner as appropriate for the genre of writing. Use well-structured sentences, audience-appropriate language, and correct conventions of standard American English.