The United States as a Debtor Nation: Risks and Policy Reform - Softcover

William R. Cline

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0881323993 ISBN 13: 9780881323993

Publisher: Peterson Inst Int Economics, 2005

Synopsis

The United States has once again entered into a period of large external imbalances. This time the current account deficit, at nearly 6 percent of GDP in 2004, is much larger than in the last episode, when the deficit peaked at about 3.5 percent of GDP in 1987. Moreover, the deficit is on track to become substantially larger over the next several years. This study examines whether the large and growing current account deficit is a problem, and if so, how the problem can be solved. A central policy conclusion of this study is that it is increasingly important that the United States reduce its external current account deficit. This deficit is no longer benign as it arguably was in the late 1990s when it was financing high investment instead of high consumption and large government dissaving.

About this title

Review:

[A]n extremely useful resource, not only for people seeking to learn about the US trade deficit and related external borrowing, but also for people who are familiar with these important issues and need an accessible reference.--Kristin Forbes, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and former member of President George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers

A splendid book that synthesizes all the core issues... It is an unusually thorough and thoughtful piece of policy analysis, and it will enjoy wide circulation and will become even more relevant as the problems it predicts emerge.--Kenneth Rogoff, Harvard University, and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund

The most thorough and up-to-date look at the issue... It is to be hoped that someone with influence in Washington is paying attention.--Clive Crook "The National Journal "

About the Author:

William R. Cline has been a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics since 1981. During 1996-2001 while on leave from the Institute, Dr. Cline was deputy managing director and chief economist of the Institute of International Finance (IIF) in Washington, DC. From 2002 through 2011 he held a joint appointment with the Peterson Institute and the Center for Global Development, where he is currently senior fellow emeritus. Before joining the Peterson Institute, he was senior fellow, the Brookings Institution (1973-81); deputy director of development and trade research, office of the assistant secretary for international affairs, US Treasury Department (1971-73); Ford Foundation visiting professor in Brazil (1970-71); and lecturer and assistant professor of economics at Princeton University (1967-70).

About this edition

• Publisher: Peterson Inst Int Economics
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0881323993
• ISBN 13: 9780881323993
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304