Lyons B. Canadian Macroeconomics: Problems and Policies / Brian Lyons. — Third edition. — Scarborough : Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1991. — 300 p.
Анотація: PREFACE
This book is an introductory macroeconomics text that addresses itself to the major economic problems facing Canada and Canadians today, and the policy choices confronting governments in dealing with these issues. It is not oriented toward rigorous, abstract or elegant economic theory, nor to a mathematical approach to economics — students of introductory economics neither want nor need these. Rather, its approach tends to be practical and pragmatic, introducing theory only insofar as it contributes to an understanding of the problems being discussed. The organization of the book follows the evolution of economic problems and policies over the years, starting with the problems of depression, recession and unemployment that dominated much economic thinking and policy-making from the 1930's until the 1960's. The focus then shifts to the problem of inflation that dominated much of the 1970's and the stagflation that became associated with it. Increased coverage is devoted to the problem of unemployment, not only because of the "Great Recession" of the early 1980's, but also because of the changing nature of unemployment in Canada and the trend toward higher unemployment rates. Finally, consideration is given to the trend toward economic globalization in general and the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement in particular, as Canada is faced with the challenge of how best to adjust to an economic environment that is changing in fundamental ways. The intention of this approach is to gain a better understanding of current economic problems by viewing them in the perspective of recent problems and policies. Throughout the book certain basic concepts and themes appear and reappear for emphasis. Some of these are: the fundamental importance of productivity (output per worker) to prosperity, the contribution of saving and investment to prosperity, the role of markets in promoting prosperity through effective and efficient use of economic resources, and the real nature of inflation and its effects upon our prosperity. In analyzing macroeconomic problems throughout the book, the concept of the interaction between aggregate demand and aggregate supply is used. These frames of reference for analysis are more appropriate for the introductory student, as they are easier to grasp intuitively than some of the more commonly used approaches.