Publications

Inequality

How Will the Fed’s Rate Hikes Help the Poor?

Those at the bottom end of the income distribution will be paying the biggest price for the Fed’s anti-inflation policy, and it is important to recognize this fact.

Dean Baker / September 23, 2022

Article Artículo

Jobs

Productivity and the Four Day Workweek (see note)

Workers

It is hugely important for those advocating four-day workweeks to know what its impact is on productivity. Unfortunately, the New York Times piece provides no real basis for making that assessment.

Dean Baker / September 22, 2022

Article Artículo

NYT Spreads Myths on Inflation

There is a common myth that Germany’s hyperinflation led to the collapse of democracy in Germany and the rise of Hitler…but it doesn’t correspond to reality.

Dean Baker / September 19, 2022

Article Artículo

Intellectual Property

Hey, If the Government Pays for the Research, It Doesn’t Have to Grant Patent Monopolies

It really shouldn’t not sound too radical to say that companies only get paid once for their work. If the government pays for the research, it doesn’t also give you a patent monopoly.

Dean Baker / September 18, 2022

Article Artículo

Jobs

The Non-Mystery of a Smaller Labor Force

Workers

The problem we are seeing is an extraordinary restructuring of the labor market due to the pandemic.

Dean Baker / September 16, 2022

Article Artículo

Do Workers Have to Take It on the Chin to Fight Inflation?

My toolbox includes a financial transactions tax, universal accounts at the Fed, stop pension funds from making private equity partners rich, and stop universities from making hedge fund partners rich by managing their endowments.

Dean Baker / September 16, 2022

Article Artículo

The US Response to the World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis: Seize and Privatize

Mixed News on Inflation

As was the case before this week’s data, the overall story on inflation remains mixed. There are real grounds for concern, but also evidence that inflation is headed downward without the need for sharp increases in the unemployment rate.

Dean Baker / September 16, 2022

Article Artículo

What is the role of central bank reserves in a contemporary functioning economy? To whom do these reserves ultimately belong? How rational is it to constitute a parallel private foundation assigned to perform the duties of a central bank?

Andrés Arauz / September 15, 2022

Article Artículo

Economic Growth

China is the World’s Largest Economy: Get Over It

Some folks seem to find it hard to accept that the US does not have the world’s largest economy, but such is life. Donald Trump lost the election and the US is number 2.

Dean Baker / September 15, 2022

Article Artículo

Affordable Care Act

Grading President Biden’s Economic Record

Rapid job growth and increased worker bargaining power are very good—there’s a whole lot more progressive policy that could be done.

Max B. Sawicky / September 14, 2022

Article Artículo

Price Increases Persist Despite Supply Chain Progress

The overall Consumer Price Index rose 0.1 percent in August, core was up 0.6 percent; up 8.3 percent and 6.3 percent year-over-year, respectively.

Dean Baker / September 13, 2022

Article Artículo

The Fed Should Wait and See

With recent data showing that both inflation and inflation expectations have eased, it would be irresponsible for the US Federal Reserve to create much higher unemployment.

Joseph Stiglitz and Dean Baker / September 12, 2022

Article Artículo

Economic Policy

Republicans: Another Reason a Recession Would be Really Bad News

If there is one lesson we have learned well following the Great Recession, it is much easier for the Fed to use monetary policy to slow the economy than to boost it out of a recession.

Dean Baker / September 10, 2022

Article Artículo

Intellectual Property

The Big Myth on Inequality: It Just Happened

Dean Baker / September 09, 2022

Article Artículo

Preview: What to Look for in the August Consumer Price Index

If the CPI is zero or a small negative in August, it will strengthen the case for pausing the Fed’s aggressive rate hikes.

Dean Baker / September 08, 2022

report informe

Toward Black Full Employment: A Subsidized Employment Proposal

This report will discuss the potential of a federally subsidized employment program to reduce the high joblessness among Black Americans and sketch some design features that would make that program more effective at addressing Black joblessness.

Algernon Austin and Annabel Utz / September 08, 2022

Article Artículo

Abortion

New York Times Reporters Can’t Get Data on Gas and Food Prices

It is a bit amazing that the piece never mentioned that gas prices have fallen and there is evidence that food items are now dropping in price.

Dean Baker / September 06, 2022

Article Artículo