Ronald Reagan-Side Economics

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Running Head: REAGAN-SIDE ECONOMICS Reagan-Side Economics Ebony Stanley Park University Running Head: REAGAN-SIDE ECONOMICS Reagan-Side Economics During his administration, President Ronald Reagan implemented supply-side economics. Believing that the current tax rates were too high and were detrimental to “individual initiative and saving” by Americans, Reagan’s administration felt that supply-side economic policy would be beneficial (Gordon 2009). The thought process of supply side economics rests in the effect of lowering income tax rates. Those who embraced this economic policy theorized that lowering the tax rate would increase the amount of work and saving by the American people. They went on to further say that the increase…show more content…
7 years prior and 6 years after Reagan’s policy implementation, the growth rate was 2.8% and 2.1% respectively (Niskanen & Moore 1996). Other factors to consider when analyzing the REAGAN-SIDE ECONOMICS effectiveness of Reagan’s policy are the unemployment rate, productivity, inflation, and the savings rate. During the 1980s, the savings rate declined, contrary to the intentions of Reagan’s economic policy. Supply side 4 advocates maintain that the data for this time period was not all-inclusive in that it does not include the increase in the value of stocks, bonds and other assets during this time (Niskanen & Moore 1996). Being that these types of assets are From significant parts of savings, this is a logical argument. 1982 to 1989, the Dow Jones Average went from 884 to 2,509 which drastically increased capital assets’ values. There was an impressive drop in the unemployment rate during Reagan’s administration as well. 17 million new jobs were created and the unemployment rate fell from 9.7% to 5.5% by the time Reagan’s presidential term ended (Niskanen & Moore 1996). The hours worked by working aged adults grew during…show more content…
Productivity, as measured by the output per hour by the business sector, grew at a lower rate during the Reagan years than the 7 years prior. The growth rate of 1.3% during Reagan’s tenure was .2% higher than the 6 years afterwards, but .3% lower than the years preceding (Niskanen & Moore 1996). Inflation is an increase in the average price level and is not a positive occurrence. When Reagan took office, the REAGAN-SIDE ECONOMICS consumer price index (CPI) was at a high 13.5%, by the end of his terms, the CPI had been decreased to 4.1% (Niskanen & Moore 1996). Those who are critical of Reagan’s policy speak of the explosion of the United States’ budget deficit during the 1980s. The deficit was $101b in 1981 and had risen to $236b by 1983. The national debt was significantly increased during this time period as well. Rising from $1,004b to $2,028b from 1981 to 5 1989, the massive debt ensured future generations would incur substantial repayment costs (Niskanen & Moore 1996). of Reagan’s tenure, the budget deficit was $141b. The federal government being able to collect more revenue as an ultimate result of the lowered taxes is a main goal of supply-side economics. In the 1980s, federal revenue grew from If measured as a share of GDP, By the

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