The Economic History Podcast

Macroeconomic (In)stability in UK Economic History, 1700-2010

May 30, 2024 Seán Kenny Season 2 Episode 35
Macroeconomic (In)stability in UK Economic History, 1700-2010
The Economic History Podcast
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The Economic History Podcast
Macroeconomic (In)stability in UK Economic History, 1700-2010
May 30, 2024 Season 2 Episode 35
Seán Kenny

In this episode, we meet Assist. Prof. Jason Lennard to discuss his work on measuring fluctuations in the UK economy.  We cover the nature of the business cycle, how it is measured and how it has changed through time. We also consider the implications of rigid wages during economic downturns. We look at new evidence on the existence of "sticky wages" during the Great Depression in the UK, using disaggregated (instead of average) wage data.  Finally, we chat about the effects of policy interventions in managing UK economic cycles, which began in earnest during the twentieth century. Can monetary policy be effective in achieving economic objectives? 

Show Notes

In this episode, we meet Assist. Prof. Jason Lennard to discuss his work on measuring fluctuations in the UK economy.  We cover the nature of the business cycle, how it is measured and how it has changed through time. We also consider the implications of rigid wages during economic downturns. We look at new evidence on the existence of "sticky wages" during the Great Depression in the UK, using disaggregated (instead of average) wage data.  Finally, we chat about the effects of policy interventions in managing UK economic cycles, which began in earnest during the twentieth century. Can monetary policy be effective in achieving economic objectives?