The recent US election that carried Donald Trump back to the White House with a strong mandate underlines a point that was perhaps forgotten by political leaders in many rich countries over a long era of stable prices: Inflation matters.
No election result is monocausal. It is usually a combination of economic, political and social factors, but the rising cost of living seems to have been an important ingredient in the US results. The Trump victory was bookended by the end of Conservative Party rule in the UK and the collapse of the ruling political alliance in Germany.
There are a few lessons for economists as well. The most important one is that voters think about price levels rather than just the rate at which they are changing. The price of a cup of coffee or a bag of groceries has materially changed over the past four years in many rich countries. Even tourists feel it. So inflation, or the rate at which prices are going up, may have been brought to heel; but the inflation spike that came before has left the price level way above what voters are comfortable with.
この記事は Mint Mumbai の November 20, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Mint Mumbai の November 20, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
World Bank calls for reforming skills training in India
India must make a coordinated effort to reform and rebrand vocational skill training, besides aligning education with the job market, to leverage its demographic advantage to meet the $5-trillion target for its economy, the World Bank said.
FCPA cases take long to conclude after indictment
For investors keen to know the fate of billionaire Gautam Adani's indictment by US authorities, the watchword is patience.
Short-covering, relief rally add ₹7.27 trillion wealth
Markets up 2.39% to hit the highest in six months, a day after Adani's indictment
Wetter monsoon slows pace of adding new transmission lines
India's addition of new power transmission lines fell by half over a year earlier in the April-October period as a wetter-than-usual monsoon slowed work.
COP29's $1.3 tn fund plan disappoints Global South
The 29th edition of the UN climate change conference in Azerbaijan emerged from a deadlock with an annual climate finance goal of $1.3 trillion for developing countries, much to the disappointment of the Global South.
Jaguar rebrand is pink, diverse and doesn't feature any cars
Luxury automaker Jaguar is betting that a colorful and youthful rebrand will help it successfully launch fully into the electric-cars market.
Services up as manufacturing slows in Nov
The HSBC Flash India Services PMI was at 59.2 in Nov from 58.5 in Oct; manufacturing PMI fell slightly from 60.4 to 60.2
MSMED may protect medium firms too
The Centre may consider including medium enterprises for the protection granted under MSME Development (MSMED) Act, 2006, to resolve payment disputes.
Europe boosts Indian textile exports in FY25
Demand for Indian handloom, apparel partly fuelled by Bangladesh crisis
RBI nudges banks to cut speculative bet in rupee
The Indian central bank, in a rare move, instructed some banks to cut their long positions on the dollar-rupee pair on Friday, seeking to curb speculative positions with the currency at a record low, four bankers familiar with the development told Reuters.
