Course abstract

The course elaborates on the effectiveness of alternative stabilization policies in long run and cyclical Macroeconomic Theory. Assuming that a student has no prior knowledge of the subject, the course begins with a general discussion on how Macroeconomics is different from Microeconomics, common macroeconomic variables, the distinction between very long run Growth s Law, the structure of a macroeconomic model, and a brief statement on various policy results that follow from the alternative schools of thought (eg classical, Keynesian, new classical etc). The next topic is entirely devoted to National Income Accounting methods, price indices and unemployment rate. The Classical model is developed in the following topic, followed by the Keynesian Cross Model, Investment, IS- LM model, and the complete Keynesian model in subsequent topics. The course ends with a description of the Balance of Payments account, exchange rate systems, and an extension of the IS-LM model to the open economy. Both Monetary and Fiscal policy are discussed at length in the context of all these structural models.