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Economics

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Full-Text Articles in Economic Theory

From The Classical School To Today: The Evolution Of Stagnation Theories, Francis J. Lukacovic Ii May 2016

From The Classical School To Today: The Evolution Of Stagnation Theories, Francis J. Lukacovic Ii

Applied Economics Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to study the theory of secular stagnation, which was made famous by the American Keynesian economist Alvin Hansen in his book Full Recovery or Stagnation. The theory of secular stagnation has reappeared in economic circles today due to recent economic conditions since the financial crisis of 2007-2008. The thesis will analyze the history of the stagnation theory dating back to Classical economists in the 19th century. The concept of a stagnating economy has been talked about for centuries with many economists adding important thoughts. Furthermore, the thesis will address the current questions and …

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Akratic Homo Economicus: Does The Neoclassical Economic Theory "Rational Agent" Assumption Accurately Depict Human Nature?, Marina Logachev Jan 2016

Akratic Homo Economicus: Does The Neoclassical Economic Theory "Rational Agent" Assumption Accurately Depict Human Nature?, Marina Logachev

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neoclassical economic theory has long been scrutinized for its failure to be congruent with reality, often lacking generality and tractability due to, what many critics argue to be, unrealistic assumptions. One of the theory's core suppositions is a representative "rational agent" or homo economicus, whose self-interest and optimal choices, which are in state of equilibrium and efficiency are rooted in utility maximization of his well-being. Even though neoclassical economics claims to accurately depict human nature, from its very inception it has failed to incorporate human psychology and sociology into its foundations. As the behavioral and biological research became more …

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Rethinking The "Marginal Revolution" In The History Of Economic Thought: A Brief Examination Of The Marginal Utility Theory Before And In The 1870s, Ding Ning Jan 2016

Rethinking The "Marginal Revolution" In The History Of Economic Thought: A Brief Examination Of The Marginal Utility Theory Before And In The 1870s, Ding Ning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The "Marginal Revolution," a well-known event in the history of economic thought, challenged the mainstream classical political economy and introduced new methods to economic study. The "Marginal Revolution" marked the rise of the Marginal Utility School and pushed the formulation of neoclassical economics. Because marginal utility is the core concept of the "Marginal Revolution," this thesis studies the origin of marginal utility theory by examining figures such as Bernoulli, Bentham, Dupuit, and Goseen, and the utility theory with its related topics of Jevons, Menger and Walras in the 1870s. This thesis considers the significance of the "Marginal Revolution," with particular …

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A New Approach To Measuring Poverty In The United States: A Household's Ability To Consume, David Ashelman May 2015

A New Approach To Measuring Poverty In The United States: A Household's Ability To Consume, David Ashelman

Applied Economics Theses

The definition of poverty is a social construct. As such, quantitatively measuring poverty is problematic, and creates ineffective poverty-alleviation policy. This thesis examines the historical measure of poverty in the United States, compares U.S. poverty measurements to Great Britain and Canada, and then proposes a new way to measure poverty. Instead of measuring income as the defining factor of poverty, the new poverty measurement suggested eliminates income factors and focuses on a household’s ability to consume in a non-comparative manner. When quantifying a household’s ability to consume, implications arise in economic policy for anti-poverty programs, defining the middle class, minimum …

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Economic Voting In The Developing World, Rafael Oganesyan Aug 2014

Economic Voting In The Developing World, Rafael Oganesyan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A plethora of ink has been spilled demonstrating the relationship between economics and voter behavior. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of scholarship has concentrated on the empirical assessment of economic voting within the context of developed countries. The present thesis widens the scope of study by testing the applicability of the classic economic voting theory (CEVT) strictly within developing countries. The results suggest that while voters in developing countries do take the economy into account, they do so in a manner that's partially different from what CEVT predicts. Voters in developing countries simultaneously assume both retrospective sociotropic and prospective sociotropic characteristics. …

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Alienation In Capitalism: Rediscovering Fulfillment, Gregory Lee Carter Jan 2014

Alienation In Capitalism: Rediscovering Fulfillment, Gregory Lee Carter

Honors Theses and Capstones

Many Americans are pessimistic about their country's medium or long-term economic outlook. A century ago, Big Business was born as an economic force, but it has powerfully infiltrated the realm of politics now. The corporate scramble for natural resources has caused global disharmony and domestic economic conflict in the U.S. The capitalist system, which many have come to realize is unsustainable and oppressive, has thus come to fulfill some of the predictions made by earlier critics from Kierkegaard, Rousseau, to Marx. Each believed that a society which is forced to accommodate an oppressive system will inherently display alienation. That …

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Echoes From Geneva: Finding John Calvin’S Socio-Economic Interests In The Modern World, Brenda K. Savage May 2011

Echoes From Geneva: Finding John Calvin’S Socio-Economic Interests In The Modern World, Brenda K. Savage

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

Through an examination of John Calvin’s intentions in ending the prohibition on usury and the practical application of his teachings in sixteenth-century Geneva, and a consideration of the elements of poverty, social outcasts, and exploitation common to both Geneva and the modern world, it can be argued that the Reformer has much to offer of continued relevancy for those seeking to engage their contemporary world by finding alternatives that can help the financially disenfranchised. Calvin is often referred to as the “Father of Modern Interest,” and as such many people have directly blamed him for the exploitation associated with capitalism. …

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Estimating The Effects Of Integrated Film Production On Box-Office Performance: Do Inhouse Effects Influence Studio Moguls?, Daniel M. Polyakov Jan 2011

Estimating The Effects Of Integrated Film Production On Box-Office Performance: Do Inhouse Effects Influence Studio Moguls?, Daniel M. Polyakov

CMC Senior Theses

Each year well over one billion movie tickets are sold to an audience who knows very little about what they are getting themselves into. Why is it that despite the uncertainty, people return to the theaters to see what Hollywood has in store for them? In efforts to provide answers regarding the driving forces behind Hollywood’s blockbuster hits, this study takes into account the integration levels of the studios. Specifically, does a movie produced in-house at a large studio have a better chance of being a blockbuster hit than one which is outsourced to an independent production company? Further, I …

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Innovation, Markets, And Evolution, Mitch Green Jun 2010

Innovation, Markets, And Evolution, Mitch Green

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper approaches innovation from an evolutionary perspective. Literature spanning a broad range of traditions in economics is considered, to include Institutionalist, Schumpeterian, post-Keynesian, and growth theorists. Key systemic changes are examined in the context of prevailing technological and social institutions. It is argued that expectation-fixing effects such as path-dependence in investment and innovation provide structure to a social network of market institutions that seek to validate money contracts. The institution of money is considered as a center of power in the system and affects the course of innovation. Money as the unit of account becomes the object of …

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Determinants Of Housing Prices In Pittsylvania County, Jason Hall Mar 2010

Determinants Of Housing Prices In Pittsylvania County, Jason Hall

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research is to determine the implicit factors influencing housing prices in Pittsylvania County, a rural county in Southside Virginia. Currently in Pittsylvania County there is a debate over whether or not to mine what is believed to be the largest deposit of uranium in the United States, containing approximately 119 million pounds of uranium ore at an estimated value of $7 billion to $10 billion. The Virginia Coal and Energy Commission issued its final approval for the National Academy of Sciences to study the debate from a socio-economic standpoint. The $1.2 million study is currently taking …

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Regional Electricity In The United States, Sergio Luis Contreras Jan 2008

Regional Electricity In The United States, Sergio Luis Contreras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Elasticity coefficients are estimated for the different regions in the United States. Residential, commercial, industrial, and the nonprofit sectors are examined. Demographic, climatic, and regional variables are used to estimate electricity demand. The negative income estimator that appears when paired with the number of households estimator implies that residential electricity is an inferior good. Even though it is a substitute good, natural gas does not show any significance for any sectors in the economy.

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