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Robert J. Barro

Robert J. Barro

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Robert J. Barro, Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is a non-resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

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  1. Understanding Recent US Inflation
    barro12_STEFANI REYNOLDSAFP via Getty Images_inflation STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

    Understanding Recent US Inflation

    Aug 30, 2022 Robert J. Barro sees the fiscal-policy response to the COVID recession as the main factor fueling faster price growth.

  2. Yes, the US Economy Is Likely in Recession
    barro11_Michael NagleXinhua via Getty Images_USstockmarketrecession Michael Nagle/Xinhua via Getty Images

    Yes, the US Economy Is Likely in Recession

    Aug 1, 2022 Robert J. Barro shows that two consecutive quarters of negative US growth have almost always preceded an official downturn designation.

  3. Big State Inflation
    barro10 Getty Images

    Big State Inflation

    Dec 4, 2021 Robert J. Barro worries that US monetary and fiscal policy is running off the rails and theatening future growth.

  4. An Interview with Robert J. Barro
    David Ricardo Economics for many decades has been dominated by journal articles, rather than books. But there are a few classics that are undoubtedly worth reading. Beyond the aforementioned Smith and Weber, this 1817 book by Ricardo is effectively the first work on macroeconomics, and thus essential reading.

    An Interview with Robert J. Barro

    Apr 20, 2021 Robert J. Barro warns that the anchor of long-term inflation expectations is being pulled up, advises the US on how to deal with China, and critiques Joe Biden’s proposed infrastructure package.

  5. Pulling Up the Inflation Anchor
    barro8_Win McNameeGetty Images_volcker Win McNamee/Getty Images

    Pulling Up the Inflation Anchor

    Feb 25, 2021 Robert J. Barro worries that reckless policies could undo decades of hard-won gains by monetary policymakers.

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    Europe’s Red Tape Is Helping Russia

    Laurence Boone & Nicu Popescu

    The European Union’s cumbersome and narrowly defined regulations for public procurement and spending are not simply inadequate; they are dangerous. They weaken the bloc’s ability to protect itself from a broad range of Russian hybrid attacks while prolonging Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

     propose a European Defense Production Act to help fast-track processes for public procurement and spending.
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    What to Look for in Trump’s First Trial

    Eric Posner

    The intricate legal issues and colorful characters in Donald Trump's criminal trials will undoubtedly keep the media and the viewing public enraptured for months to come. But when it comes to the 2024 election, all that really matters is how the defendant appears to a narrow sliver of undecided voters.

     points out that optics, more than the law or the facts, will be what matters most for the election.
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    AI Holds the Key to Resilient Cities

    Justina Nixon-Saintil surveys the technology's foreseeable applications in promoting urban sustainable development.
  4. ito36_ KAZUHIRO NOGIAFP via Getty Images_boj KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images
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    How Risky Is Japan’s Monetary-Policy Normalization?

    Takatoshi Ito considers the implications of the central bank’s exit from negative interest rates and quantitative easing.
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    As Families Change, So Must the Safety Net

    Neha Bansal urges governments to implement policies that promote intergenerational integration and solidarity.
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    The Language of Political Control

    Robert Skidelsky views recent linguistic innovations as manipulative efforts to compel “correct” thought and perception.
  7. basu101_Alfonso Sangiao iStock Getty Images Plus_voting Alfonso Sangiao/iStock / Getty Images Plus
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    Globalization vs. Democracy

    Kaushik Basu highlights the contradictions and vulnerabilities inherent in the current international order.
  8. coyle36 Alishia AbodundeGetty Images INFRASTRUCTURE Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images
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    The West’s New Infrastructure Imperative

    Diane Coyle explains why a broader conception of the term could reflect a renewed interest in investing in the future.
  9. bp iran israel Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images
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    An Iran-Israel War?

    Iran’s mass ballistic missile and drone attack on Israel last week raised anew the specter of a widening Middle East war that draws in Iran and its proxies, as well as Western countries like the United States. The urgent need to defuse tensions – starting by ending Israel’s war in Gaza and pursuing a lasting political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – is obvious, but can it be done?

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