Inflation vs. Unemployment

600 Words2 Pages

Today, our nation is in a recession. Nobody can deny that. No politician, no Wall Street financier, no journalist, can say otherwise. The discrepancies lie with the principle method of economic response to this crisis. Some politicians point out the unemployment rate and call down the powers of Congress to decrease it. Others still look to the devious inflation percentage that lurks behind, as a shadow, ready to cut purchasing power and increase prices. Unfortunately, as the Phillips curve warns us, the two are irreconcilable. Lower inflation invites higher unemployment, and increasing employment beckons heightened prices. The discrepancies lie with the classic battle between controlling inflation and unemployment. Though it may be the less popular choice, politicians should concentrate on curbing inflation as it has a great impact on our economy and is a more accurate indicator of economic stability. Many individuals have questioned the validity of macroeconomic theory. In a 1999 editorial, Frank Riessman wrote that "practically all predictions of traditional economists ha...

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