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Keynesian Theory

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Why were Keynesian ideas revolutionary?

The Great depression started from October 29, 1929 when the stock market crash and ended in early 1940s. It started with severe economic collapse rooted by over-extended and over-confident stock market. The most severe country that was affected was US and other countries are mildly affected. The government intervened directly and increased the productivity essential for the World War II to end the Great Depression. Classical Theory is based on free market concept therefore it requires minimum or zero government intervention. Individuals can decide depending on their own interest and this lets them manage the economic resources based on their interest. Classical Theory believes that consumer spending and business investment is a larger portion as compared to government expenditure plus the higher the government expenditure, it will reduce the private sector economic growth. Classical Theory believes the economy will get corrected by itself in the theory of invisible hand. Keynes theory is based on the aggregate demand which is influenced by the public and private sector. It is influenced and affected by fiscal policies which are changes in government expenditure and tax. Keynes believes prices are rigid which will only cause output to fluctuate when there are changes in consumption, investment and government expenditure. Even if consumer spending or business investment is absent, government expenditure can enhance the economic growth. Classical Theory assumes that prices are flexible for all types of goods, income and etc. When the income level decreases in an uncontrolled economy where income is perfectly flexible, it removes surplus employee and decreases unemployment to stability level. Prices in reality are not as flexible downwards as they are upwards cause by imperfections of the market for example unions and laws. Keynes Theory assumes that prices and wages are inflexible. The prices of goods are easier upwardly mobile therefore the producers are unwilling to shrink the prices. Often, when the income increases easily, it will hit on some resistance when it decreases. Therefore all these prices are not as flexible caused by long-term supplier contract and long-term wage agreements.

What economic problems in your news article that require government intervention?

Economy slowdown Italian GDP unexpectedly declined 0.1 percent in the first quarter of 2014, following a meager 0.1 percent growth in the previous three months, hurt by a fall in industrial production. Preliminary estimates showed that agricultural output increased slightly, services showed no growth and industry shrank. Year-on-year, the GDP shrank 0.5 percent, slower than a 0.9 contraction reported in the previous quarter, but marking the tenth consecutive quarter of decline.(Taborda, Trading Economics, 2014)

Recession The next economic problem is recession. In 2012 as a whole, real GDP is estimated to have contracted by 2.4%.High uncertainties and tight financing conditions which hit consumption and investment caused the domestic demand to fell significantly. Italy’s economy shrank as exports failed to offset the effect of weak domestic demand. Therefore, the real GDP dropped. Figure 1 shows the GDP of Italy from 2011-2014. (Taborda, Trading Economics, 2014)

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