Skip to main content
Access provided by

Robert J. Barro

Robert J. Barro

13 commentaries

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.

Sort by: Show:
  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.

  1. ito19_ RICHARD A. BROOKSAFP via Getty Images_boj yen depreciation RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images
    0

    The Challenge of Monetary Tightening

    Takatoshi Ito identifies the main risks raised by central banks’ efforts to rein in inflation.
  2. wagner12_ ArterraUniversal Images Group via Getty Images_melting polar ice Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
    0

    The High Stakes of Climate-Risk Accounting

    Gernot Wagner & Tom Brookes show why economists can no longer ignore the need for a far more comprehensive set of welfare indicators.
  3. elerian151_ Scott OlsonGetty Images_inflation Scott Olson/Getty Images
    1

    The Cost of the Fed’s Challenged Credibility

    Mohamed A. El-Erian interprets the latest market tumult as the price of delaying monetary-policy tightening for too long.
  4. roach143_Drew AngererGetty Images_jerome powell Drew Angerer/Getty Images
    0

    Core Dangers for the Fed and China

    Stephen S. Roach

    Just as a fixation on core inflation can mislead central banks, as it has done with the US Federal Reserve, the power of a “core leader” like China’s Xi Jinping is a recipe for misdirected and ultimately unsustainable policy regimes. The very notion of a core adds a false sense of precision when addressing complex problems.

     thinks the US central bank and Chinese governance share a conceptual weakness leading to major policy blunders.
  5. haldar13_Jens Büttnerpicture alliance via Getty Images Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images
    1

    Amazon’s Satanic Mills

    Antara Haldar sees recent unionization efforts as a welcome response to an unethical and inhumane business model.
  6. asadullah12_SAEED KHANAFP via Getty Images_malaysia migration SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images
    1

    Asia’s Captive Market for Migrant Labor

    M. Niaz Asadullah highlights how an entrenched alliance of politicians, bureaucrats, and business elites is exploiting workers.
  7. sheng129_ROSLAN RAHMANAFP via Getty Images_asean cooperation ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images
    0

    In Search of a Development Plan for Asia

    Andrew Sheng & Xiao Geng argue that bottom-up institutions – not top-down strategies – are the key to regional integration.
  8. emmott_Antonio MasielloGetty Images_meloni Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
    1

    Giorgia Meloni’s Moment

    Bill Emmott sees little difference between the Brothers of Italy’s program and that of recent right-wing governments.
  9. strain5_(Kent Nishimura Los Angeles Times via Getty Images_school Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
    1

    America’s Education Emergency

    Michael R. Strain calls for urgent action to make up for pandemic learning loss in light of dismal new test scores.

Edit Newsletter Preferences

Set up Notification

To receive email updates regarding this {entity_type}, please enter your email below.

If you are not already registered, this will create a PS account for you. You should receive an activation email shortly.