Keynesian Economics: Theory and How to Use It

Jessica Olah / Investopedia

Keynes proposed that the government spend more money and cut taxes, which would increase customer demand in the economy. This in turn would lead to an increase in overall economic activity and an alleviation of unemployment.

According to the multiplier effect, one dollar spent on fiscal stimulus ultimately generates more than one dollar of growth. This turns out to be a trick for government economists, who can now justify politically popular spending plans on a national scale.

Keynesian theorists argue that economies stabilize very temporarily and require active intervention to stimulate short-term demand in the economy.

John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946), British economist, best known as the founder of Keynesian economics and the father of modern macroeconomics. Keynes studied at one of the most prestigious schools in England, King’s College, Cambridge University, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree. He graduated in Mathematics in 1905. He excelled in mathematics, but obtained virtually no formal education in economics.

According to Keynes, classical economics holds that fluctuations in employment and economic output create profit opportunities that Americans and marketers have incentives to take advantage of, ultimately correcting imbalances in the economy.

In contrast, Keynes argued that recessions, business pessimism, and certain characteristics of market economies would exacerbate economic weakness and cause aggregate demand to fall further. Keynesian economics argues that in difficult times, governments should engage in deficit spending to compensate for falling investment and increase consumer spending to stabilize aggregate demand.

Monetarism is a macroeconomic theory that states that governments can promote economic stability by targeting the rate of expansion of the cash supply. Closely related to economist Milton Friedman, monetarism emphasizes the use of financial policy rather than fiscal policy to manage aggregate demand, which contrasts with the theories of Keynesian top economists. In fact, the monetarist school of ideas evolved as a rejection and critique of Keynesian economics.

John Maynard Keynes, Google Books. ” The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money”, bankruptcies 2. Macmillan, 1936.

International Monetary Fund. “What is Keynesian economics?”

The Library of Economy and Freedom. John Maynard Keynes.

Saylor Academy. “Keynes and classical economics. “

Digital scholarships for Harvard.   Unpacking the Multiplier: Making Sense of Recent Fiscal Stimulus Policy Assessments,” page 821 (page four of the PDF).

Mises Institute. Dissent on Keynes”, pages 131 to 147 and 171 to 198 (pages 139 to and 179 to 206 of the PDF).

Rice University, University of Hawaii Press Books. “Principles of economics: 27. 4 How banks create money.

International Monetary Fund. “What is monetarism?”

Rogoff, Kenneth, Harvard researchers. To confront financial paralysis at limit 0. ” Journal of Economic Outlook, Vol. 31, no. 3, 2017. Pages 47 to 48 (pages 1 to 2 of the PDF).

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