Author Archives: haroldchorneyeconomist

Unknown's avatar

About haroldchorneyeconomist

I am Professor of political economy at Concordia university in Montréal, Québec, Canada. I received my B.A.Hons (econ.&poli sci) from the University of Manitoba. I also completed my M.A. degree in economics there. Went on to spend two years at the London School of Economics as a Ph.D. student in economics and then completed my Ph.D. in political economy at the University of Toronto. Was named a John W.Dafoe fellow, a CMHC fellow and a Canada Council fellow. I also was named a Woodrow Wilson fellow in 1968 after completing my first class honours undergraduate degree. Worked as an economist in the area of education, labour economics and as the senior economist with the Manitoba Housing and Renewal Corporation for the Government of Manitoba from 1972 to 1978. I also have worked as an economic consultant for MDT socio-economic consultants and have been consulted on urban planning, health policy, linguistic duality and public sector finance questions by the governments of Manitoba, Saskatchewan,the cities of Regina and Saskatoon, Ontario and the Federal government of Canada. I have also been consulted by senior leaders of the British Labour party, MPs from the Progressive Conservative party, the Liberal party and the New Democrats on economic policy questions. Members of the Government of France under the Presidency of Francois Mitterand discussed my work on public sector deficits. I have also run for elected office at the municipal level. I first began to write about quantitative easing as a useful policy option during the early 1980s.

Austerity and Aggregate Demand:some harsh facts

Posted on January 30, 2012 by haroldchorneyeconomist

The European leadership has announced it has agreed to a new pact on fiscal discipline with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel leading the way in imposing strict austerity on member countries in the Eurozone. The goal is to force countries … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The importance of aggregate demand

Posted on January 24, 2012 by haroldchorneyeconomist

It amazes me but it appears from the largely negative reaction to a good piece by Larry Summers in the Financial Times, Economic Uncertainty  is no Excuse for  Inaction, about the importance of combining low interest rates with government spending … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

U.S. unemployment drops to 8.5% Canadian unemployment rises to 7.5%. Euro area 10.3 %.

Posted on January 6, 2012 by haroldchorneyeconomist

American unemployment fell to 8.5% last month as 200,000 more jobs were added to U.S. employment. This is another modestly positive development suggesting that the slow but steady recovery is continuing in the U.S. If one had experienced job gains … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Poli 463 course outline:Keynes versus the monetarists

Posted on January 2, 2012 by haroldchorneyeconomist

Poli 463/ 2012 Poli 463/2 fall 2012 course outline under constructionPoli 463/2 Government and Business course outline Keynes versus monetarists before and after the crash of 2008 Prof.Harold Chorney Fall/winter 2012Course overview:This course explores the tools that are necessary to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Poli 349 Winter term 2012 course outline

Posted on January 2, 2012 by haroldchorneyeconomist

Poli 349 winter 2012 POLITICS 349 Winter 2012 Professor Harold Chorney Concordia university Chorney@alcor.concordia .ca office hours Tuesday 5:10 to 6 +Thurs. 5:30 -7. This course explores the deep seated search for community in the context of the debate between … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Happy New Year:A Time for Recovery

Posted on January 2, 2012 by haroldchorneyeconomist

For the past several weeks I have been buried in the work of academia, grading a mountain of exams and essays. I am nearly finished and will return to regular blogging shortly. My students  will be able to find the course … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

S+P Downgrade Warning on European Sovereign Debt May throw Spanner in the Works

Posted on December 5, 2011 by haroldchorneyeconomist

When it really counted in the past in the lead-up to the financial crisis S+P and other ratings agencies failed to warn about the quality or lack thereof of the asset backed financial derivatives that caused so much disaster in … Continue reading →

Posted in austerity, classical economics, deficit hysteria, deficits and debt, European debt crisis, European financial stability fund, Greek sovereign debt crisis, Italian debt crisis, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

U.S. Unemployment falls to 8.6% Canadian rate rises to 7.4 %

Posted on December 2, 2011 by haroldchorneyeconomist

There is some potentially good news on the U.S. unemployment front as the headline rate of unemployment fell from 9.0 % last October to 8.6% for the past November. Part of this fall in unemployment is due to the positive … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The euro sovereign debt crisis and the irrationality of the bond markets:the need for a lender of last resort

Posted on November 24, 2011 by haroldchorneyeconomist

Throughout the history of the capitalist system the markets have played a pivotal role. Of course, the Walrasian conception of markets that inevitably clear temporary gluts and misallocations through the process of tatonnement and the invisible auctioneer is obviously a … Continue reading →

Posted in business cycles, classical economics, European debt crisis, European financial stability fund, J.M.Keynes, labour market clearing | Tagged | Leave a comment

Trade balances, debt to GDP and unemployment rates of some European countries of interest

Posted on November 9, 2011 by haroldchorneyeconomist

Trade as a percentage of the GDP and unemployment rates selected European countries, and debt to GDP ratios. X                     Country                     … Continue reading →

Posted in austerity, balance of payments, deficit hysteria, deficits and debt, European debt crisis, European financial stability fund, Greek sovereign debt crisis, Italian debt crisis, J.M.Keynes, Uncategorized, unemployment | Leave a comment