Investing In a Better World by Geoff Mulgan, Research Paper Example

The video I watched was entitled Post-Crash, Investing in a Better World by Geoff Mulgan. In this talk, Mulgan argues that modern Americans are following many of the same economic procedures that had caused the economy to crash in the past. He uses his previous expertise as a United Kingdom government official to explain how investments could be utilized in a manner that supports socially responsible companies which will in turn strengthen the economy of both the country and the world. Republicans and Democrats argue about how to best enhance the economy of the country, but these opponents cannot agree on a singular protocol that will allow this to occur. Mulgan proposes a viable solution to this argument.

Specifically, Mugan notes that government stimulus, bailout money, and other investments forms of investments play a major role in the ability of the economy to improve. Ultimately, decisions need to be made in a manner that does not just protect American companies; they must protect all citizens of the country. The economy is negatively impacted when the government provides money to companies to prevent them from establishing bankruptcy. However, this should only be done in cases in which the company is working towards improving the economy of the country. In some instances, a bailout is appropriate to bolster the economy and in other instances, this is not the case. It is therefore necessary for the government to make more informed financial decisions and to thoroughly consider how these options will impact the economy as a whole.

Annotated Resource List

Book Sources

Barofsky N. (2012). Bailout: An Inside Account of How Washington Abandoned Main Street While Rescuing Wall Street. New York, NY: Free Press.

This book allows the reader to gain a greater understanding of the impact of government bailouts on the American economy. While the business owners are protected as a consequence of these decisions, the average American citizen is hurt during the process. This is a reliable source because the author is a lawyer who has experience working with business litigation. He is therefore able to offer a legal perspective on the American government’s actions regarding corporate bailouts.

Grunwald M. (2013). The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

This book provides an example of an effective economic stimulus that was conducted during Obama’s presidency. One of the most important aspects of the stimulus plan was for clean energy, which allowed for the growth of businesses that promoted the president’s environmental agenda. The author of the book is a journalist who has a lot of experience with reporting on government economic policies.

Internet Sources

Isidore C. (2013). Treasury closes the book on GM bailout with final stock sale. CNN Money. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/09/news/companies/gm-bailout-stock-sale/

This article shows an example of the government providing a bailout to a specific American company that has declared bankruptcy. The support for this decision is that a closure of GM would have bankrupted many of the company’s suppliers, which would have been a big hit to the country’s economy. The article appears to be unbiased due to the author’s choice of language. Only facts are reported.

Rosenberg Y. (2012). Obama’s Stimulus Plan: What Worked, What Didn’t. The Fiscal Times. Retrieved from http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2012/02/21/Obamas-Stimulus-Plan-What-Worked-What-Didn’t

This article provides a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the president’s stimulus plan. The author appears to weigh both the pros and cons of the plan in a manner that makes the article appear to be unbiased. The source is reliable because the author is a known business professional.

Reference Source

Mendell D. (2015). Barack Obama. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/973560/Barack-Obama/296548/Economic- challenges#ref1088787

This encyclopedia entry discusses the economic actions that President Obama has taken during his presidency that have ultimately impacted the American economy. A majority of these policies have involved spending money in order to make money, a policy greatly criticized by Republicans. However, there has been a level of success with some of his plans and the American economy appears to be growing as a consequence. This article is reliable because reference sources do not incorporate opinions.

Scholarly Journal Article

Parker JA, Souleles NS, Johnson DS, McClelland R. (2011). Consumer Spending and the Economic Stimulus Payments of 2008. The National Bureau of Economic Research, 103(6): 2530-53.

This source is an economic research study that aimed to show the consequence of the 2008 economic stimulus payments on the American economy. A small percentage of this money was spent on services, while a majority of the population spent the money on physical items. It was shown that spending habits vary based on the ages of the individuals surveyed in addition to their economic standing and demographic factors. This study could be used to determine whether issuing economic stimulus payments will have a positive or negative impact on the economy by determining how money circulates once it is given back to the American public.