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Why Debt Matters And Waste Must Be Eliminated Research Paper

National Debt

Three schools of thought on the economic effects of national debt are the Classical school, the Keynes school, and the school of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). The Classical view is that high national debt can undermine long-term economic growth. The Keynes school views national debt more as a tool for growth and stability rather than as a problem for growth. MMT school argues that high national debt is basically a boogeyman, for governments can always just inflate the debt away by creating more money supply. This of course has its own problems, as loss of confidence in a currency can erode its value as an asset (Barrows, 2022).

The Classical theory is based on the notion of equivalence, put forward by David Ricardo: when the government finances deficits by borrowing, the consumer can reasonably expect that the debt will eventually have to be paid back. This happens by way of taxation. In effect, the government borrows from future generations or pulls forward the expected wealth of tomorrow for uses today. That is why classical economists argue that excessive government borrowing can lead to stagnation, as interest rates have to rise to attract buyers of debt and private investment bows out of investing in the economy because interest rates are too high (Barrows, 2022).

Keynesian economists argue that national debt is a useful and necessary tool for bringing stability to the economy. It is most helpful during recessions: governments intervene...

This keeps businesses in business, workers employed, and the economy growing. The idea is that governments should borrow when there are downturns and reduce their debt when the economy is able to grow on its own once again. The problem is that too much intervention for too long creates distortions, zombie companies, and artificial economies that are centrally controlled. For a high national debt to not be a problem, the borrowed funds must be used to stimulate economic activity and the economy must grow at a rate that outpaces the debt burden. Considering the amount of government waste that is seen in real life, the Keynes view is somewhat myopic (Arestis, 2011).

MMT is...

…chooses spending cuts, it means cutting down on social programs. Again, this is not a win for many citizens. It can cut spending, as on defense and education or infrastructureor it can go after government waste the way the Department of Government Efficiency is now doing in exposing USAID. Cutting spending, raising taxesthese are not popularbut eliminating waste can be a huge gain.

Conclusion

Theories about national debt range from classical (it is not good), to Keynesian (it is a good tool), to MMT (it is not bad). The fact is that debt has to be managed effectively. Keynesian theory has its limits and MMT is simply like wearing blinders. The classical view is the most realistic. Too much debt creates problems. Addressing budget deficits through tax increases or spending cuts also presents problems. For a nation addicted to debt, the best thing to do is eliminate waste. Tax increases can reduce disposable income and stymie economic growth, and spending cuts can upset voters who look to the government for support. The best approach a government can take is responsibility and accountabilitywhich…

Sources used in this document:

References

Arestis, P. (2011). Keynesian economics and the New Consensus in macroeconomics. A ModernGuide to Keynesian Macroeconomics and Economic Policies, 88, 111.

Barrows, D. (2022). The National Debt Is Irrelevant: Some Unsettling Questions RegardingGovernment Budget Deficits. In Debates in Monetary Macroeconomics: Tackling Some Unsettled Questions (pp. 93-109). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

White, J., & Wildavsky, A. (2021). The deficit and the public interest: The search forresponsible budgeting in the 1980s. University of California Press.

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