“Uncertainty and the Macroeconomy: Lessons from the Great Depression for Today”
Dr. Christina Romer, Professor Emerita at UC Berkeley and former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama is this year’s Veblen-Clark lecturer. Her research focuses on U.S. economic history, especially the Great Depression, showing that recovery was driven more by monetary shifts—like devaluing the dollar and capital inflows—than by government spending, which was relatively limited at the time. She also found that improved data—not a truly calmer economy—explains the appearance of greater stability after World War II. More broadly, her work examines how fiscal and monetary policies, including tax changes, affect economic growth and stability.
In her lecture, Dr. Romer will analyze the economic uncertainty created by tariffs, stock market drops, and government layoffs. The lecture will explore the potential economic effects of this uncertainty, drawing parallels to the 1929 stock market crash in the U.S. and applying lessons from history to better understand today’s economic climate.
Please join us on Wednesday, April 23 at 4:00 pm in Weitz 236