Finance & Development, September 2010.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

International Monetary Fund. External Relations Department.

Contributor:

International Monetary Fund, Contributor.

Series:

Finance & Development; Finance & Development No 0047/003

Finance & Development

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource (59 p.)

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

'Restoring Hope: Reinvigorating the Millennium Development Goals' assesses how the world is doing in meeting the MDGs--international development targets that all UN member countries and many international organizations have set for 2015. Our lead article, 'Regaining Momentum,' says that while several of the MDGs are within reach, the global economic crisis has set back progress toward a number of the targets, especially those related to health. Developing countries will need the support of advanced economies in to get back on track. Economist Jagdish Bhagwati calls into question the premise of the MDGs and argues that they should be rethought. Philanthropist Melinda Gates gives us the good news that maternal health has been improving, though we are not yet on track to meet the MDG target on maternal mortality. Picture This takes a look at child mortality rates and finds a more sobering picture. In related stories, economists Arvind Panagariya and Rodney Ramcharan have different views on how important it is to fight inequality. This issue also examines the deterioration of fiscal positions in advanced economies--as a result of both the global financial crisis and the long-run health and pension costs of an aging population. 'How Grim a Fiscal Crisis?' argues that consolidation in advanced economies should focus on spending cuts, given the already high tax burdens in many countries. In 'A Hidden Fiscal Crisis,' economist Laurence J. Kotlikoff examines the serious budget issues in the United States. We also look at the expensive needs of a rapidly aging population in France, and steps China is taking to improve pensions and health care. People in Economics profiles Maria Ramos, the academic-turned-Treasury mandarin who had a central role in stabilizing the budget in South Africa. And the 'Back to Basics' feature discusses unemployment.

Contents:

Cover; CONTENTS; DEPARTMENTS; People in Economics; Undercover Operator; FEATURES; REINVIGORATING THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS; Regaining Momentum: Progress on the Millennium Development Goals has been slowed by the crisis. The rest of the world has to help; Making a Breakthrough: To accelerate progress toward the Millennium Development Goals, growth must happen in sectors that directly benefit the poor, such as agriculture; Saving Mothers' Lives: Countries must make maternal health a policy priority

Time for a Rethink: It is hard to object to the Millennium Development Goals, but that doesn't mean they lay out an effective blueprint for developmentHalf Empty or Half Full: Does aid work? The net impact of aid surges depends on country-specific factors; Picture This; Reducing Child Mortality: Despite progress, under-5 mortality rates remain unacceptably high; Growing out of Poverty: Economic expansion reduces poverty by creating employment opportunities and making anti-poverty programs fiscally feasible

Inequality Is Untenable: If policymakers neglect income distribution, the consequences for individuals and society can be graveFISCAL FORTUNES; How Grim a Fiscal Future?: For most advanced economies, both the near term and the longer term are tight, but there are ways to ease budget pressures; A Hidden Fiscal Crisis: A noted U.S. economist says debt figures seriously understate long-term budget problems in the United States; Building a Social Safety Net: China embarks on an effort to improve both pensions and health care in the world's most populous nation

The Long Run Is Near: France, like many advanced economies, confronts the expensive needs of a rapidly aging populationBy the Rule: In France, a commission proposes a rule-based framework to set the country on a path to balanced budgets; ALSO IN THIS ISSUE; After the Supernova: Assessing the U.S. financial crisis management system during and after the Great Recession; Judgment Day: Changing the rules alone cannot make the financial system safe. The judgment of banking supervisors is crucial; Back to Basics; What Constitutes Unemployment?

Return to Form: Germany's economy is again Europe's locomotive, but its export dependence is both a blessing and a curseFinding New Data: The global crisis revealed vast gaps in international financial statistics that authorities are working to fill; Book Reviews; No Precedent, No Plan: Inside Russia's 1998 Default; The Enigma of Capital; Crisis Economics: A Crash Course in the Future of Finance; Data Spotlight; Coping with Capital Inflow Surges: In response to recent inflow surges, some emerging markets are again using capital controls

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9786613847676

9781462369393

1462369391

9781455253586

1455253588

9781283535229

128353522X

9781455246564

1455246565