Matching Items (2)
Description
This paper provides a revised accounting system for the U.S. current account that accounts for the U.S. foreign intangible capital stock, capitalizes U.S. intangible investments, and applies a constant average real 4.2% return on both quarterly tangible and intangible investments. This system also adjusts the net foreign asset position for transfer pricing and considers economic net exports rather than misreported accounting net exports. The 2 primary implications of our system is that the U.S. is in a trade surplus, and that the U.S. net foreign asset position is large. Applying a 4.2% constant average real return on foreign investments and considering economic profits instead of accounting profits eliminates the discrepancy between U.S. and foreign returns on foreign direct investment. This system solves how the U.S. can appear as a large net debtor while receiving positive income from foreign factors. The answer is that the U.S. is not a large net debtor.
ContributorsZweygardt, Tyera (Author) / Prescott, Edward (Thesis director) / Leiva-Bertran, Fernando (Committee member) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
Government and news outlets everywhere preach that trade is hurting their domestic economy. However, trade is supposed to be beneficial to all theoretically. So where is the disconnect? This thesis was created to gather understanding about trade in the real world and how it can be accurately portrayed. First, I looked at the basics of bilateral and multilateral trade to show that trade imbalances will always exist and show that this idea that countries have that trade surpluses are best is incorrect. Second, I compared the accuracies of the two measures of trade that exist: balance of trade and current account measures. I conducted this research to show that the common measure of trade (balance of trade) is inaccurate and the stronger, more accurate measure is the current account measure. After coming to this conclusion, I began to see what factors in countries affect their current account balance. I looked at five categories: demographics, investment climate, level of economic development, existence of a technology boom, and current trade policy, and looked at theoretical explanations for how each one affects the current account. In the end, I was able to create a theory based on these five factors to predict the current account balance in any country and describe its trade health. In conclusion, I found that the issue of trade misconceptions lies in which measurement someone uses, and this simple misunderstanding can lead to things such as trade wars and global economic degradation.
ContributorsBuch, Saager Rajesh (Author) / Hill, John (Thesis director) / Mendez, Jose (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05