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Economics Essay Examples

Ace Your Essay With Our Economics Essay Examples

Published on: Jun 6, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

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Are you struggling to understand economics essays and how to write your own?

It can be challenging to grasp the complexities of economic concepts without practical examples.

But don’t worry!

We’ve got the solution you've been looking for. Explore quality examples that bridge the gap between theory and real-world applications. In addition, get insightful tips for writing economics essays.

So, if you're a student aiming for academic success, this blog is your go-to resource for mastering economics essays.

Let’s dive in and get started!

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What is an Economics Essay?

An economics essay is a written piece that explores economic theories, concepts, and their real-world applications. It involves analyzing economic issues, presenting arguments, and providing evidence to support ideas.

The goal of an economics essay is to demonstrate an understanding of economic principles and the ability to critically evaluate economic topics.

Why Write an Economics Essay?

Writing an economics essay serves multiple purposes:

Demonstrate Understanding: Showcasing your comprehension of economic concepts and their practical applications.
Develop Critical Thinking: Cultivating analytical skills to evaluate economic issues from different perspectives.
Apply Theory to Real-World Contexts: Bridging the gap between economic theory and real-life scenarios.
Enhance Research and Analysis Skills: Improving abilities to gather and interpret economic data.
Prepare for Academic and Professional Pursuits: Building a foundation for success in future economics-related endeavors.

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If youâre wondering, âhow do I write an economics essay?â, consulting an example essay might be a good option for you. Here are some economics essay examples:

Short Essay About Economics

A Level Economics Essay Examples

Here is an essay on economics a level structure:

Band 6 Economics Essay Examples

Here are some downloadable economics essays:

Economics essay pdf

Economics essay introduction

Economics Extended Essay Examples

In an economics extended essay, students have the opportunity to delve into a specific economic topic of interest. They are required to conduct an in-depth analysis of this topic and compile a lengthy essay.

Here are some potential economics extended essay question examples:

How does foreign direct investment impact economic growth in developing countries?
What are the factors influencing consumer behavior and their effects on market demand for sustainable products?
To what extent does government intervention in the form of minimum wage policies affect employment levels and income inequality?
What are the economic consequences of implementing a carbon tax to combat climate change?
How does globalization influence income distribution and the wage gap in developed economies?

IB Economics Extended Essay Examples

Economics Extended Essay Topic Examples

Extended Essay Research Question Examples Economics

Tips for Writing an Economics Essay

Writing an economics essay requires specific expertise and skills. So, it's important to have some tips up your sleeve to make sure your essay is of high quality:

Start with a Clear Thesis Statement: It defines your essay's focus and argument. This statement should be concise, to the point, and present the crux of your essay.
Conduct Research and Gather Data: Collect facts and figures from reliable sources such as academic journals, government reports, and reputable news outlets. Use this data to support your arguments and analysis and compile a literature review.
Use Economic Theories and Models: These help you to support your arguments and provide a framework for your analysis. Make sure to clearly explain these theories and models so that the reader can follow your reasoning.
Analyze the Micro and Macro Aspects: Consider all angles of the topic. This means examining how the issue affects individuals, businesses, and the economy as a whole.
Use Real-World Examples: Practical examples and case studies help to illustrate your points. This can make your arguments more relatable and understandable.
Consider the Policy Implications: Take into account the impacts of your analysis. What are the potential solutions to the problem you're examining? How might different policies affect the outcomes you're discussing?
Use Graphs and Charts: These help to illustrate your data and analysis. These visual aids can help make your arguments more compelling and easier to understand.
Proofread and Edit: Make sure to proofread your essay carefully for grammar and spelling errors. In economics, precision and accuracy are essential, so errors can undermine the credibility of your analysis.

These tips can help make your essay writing journey a breeze. Tailor them to your topic to make sure you end with a well-researched and accurate economics essay.

To wrap it up , writing an economics essay requires a combination of solid research, analytical thinking, and effective communication.

You can craft a compelling piece of work by taking our examples as a guide and following the tips.

However, if you are still questioning "how do I write an economics essay?", it's time to get professional help from the best essay writing service - CollegeEssay.org.

Our economics essay writing service is always ready to help students like you. Our experienced economics essay writers are dedicated to delivering high-quality, custom-written essays that are 100% plagiarism free.

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Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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Why I Chose to Study Economics: A Student Shares Her Story

Just before my senior year of high school, I decided on a whim that I wanted to take the AP Economics course that my high school offered. Going into it, I had next to no knowledge about any economic topic.

At the time, my older sister, who was in college, had taken an economics course and told me that she found it interesting. This was definitely a contributing factor to my decision, since my older sister and I have always shared a lot of common interests.

Kaitlyn Hoevelmann took an economics class in high school and never looked back. Now, she enjoys putting her double major in economics and journalism to work at the St. Louis Fed. Learn about our diverse career and internship opportunities.

I felt drawn to the subject, and I was lucky that my school had the resources to offer the class.

Economics immediately became my favorite subject after that. I looked forward to class every day and joined Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) to compete in the economics category. First, I had to take a test for the district level, and the people with the top scores would be sent to the state competition.

I had to take the test only a few months into the semester—we spent all of that time studying macroeconomics, and the test covered both macroeconomics and microeconomics, so I spent hours outside of school reading books and taking practice tests to try and learn as much as I could in a condensed amount of time.

I attribute the beginning of my persistent interest in economics to these moments spent learning on my own late at night or between homework assignments. I ended up placing in the district competition and qualifying for state, where I took another test and placed in the top 10.

I decided sometime during the school year that I wanted to major in economics in college. When I was admitted into the University of Missouri’s (Mizzou) journalism school, I decided to double major in economics and journalism. Since then, I have had a great deal of fun taking different economics courses in school, and I have had many brilliant economics professors to look up to and learn from.

I also have enjoyed my position as a peer learning assistant for an introductory economics course at Mizzou designed for journalism students. In this position, I have held office hours for students to come to me for help, graded assignments and hosted review sessions.

I find the subject complex and challenging, and it is my personal mission to understand as much as I can and constantly learn more. It feels like each question and topic I face is a puzzle that needs to be solved, and I enjoy putting the pieces together.

Another experience that led me to study economics—and to the St. Louis Fed in particular—is when I went there on a field trip with my AP Economics class. We visited the Economy Museum and heard from an economist.

Based on the beautiful lobby, the friendly atmosphere and the great work that is done here, I knew the first step in my career would be getting accepted into the summer internship program at the Fed . I reached this goal in 2019, the summer after my sophomore year at Mizzou.

I’d like to someday dedicate my career to making economics more understandable and accessible to people, since it’s incredibly important in everyday life to understand the economy and the way it works.

More to Explore

Editor’s note: Kaitlyn has written about a range of economics topics. Check out her work:

What’s a Countercyclical Capital Buffer?
The Economic Costs of the Opioid Epidemic
How Payday Loans Work

Plus, listen to our Women in Economics podcast to hear real stories about prominent professionals making their marks in the field of economics.

Kaitlyn Hoevelmann was a Public Affairs writer at the St. Louis Fed.

How to Write a Good Economics Essay

Last Updated: March 7, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. This article has been viewed 127,716 times.

A good economics essay requires a clear argument that is well-supported by appropriately referenced evidence. Research your topic thoroughly and then carefully plan out your essay. A good structure is essential, as is sticking closely to the main essay question. Be sure to proofread your essay and try to write in formal and precise prose.

Preparing to Write Your Essay

For example a question such as “Discuss the macroeconomic consequences of rising house prices, alongside falling interest rates” could be divided into 2 parts: 1 part could be on the effects of rising prices, and 1 on the effects of falling interest rates.
In this example you could begin by discussing each separately and then bringing the 2 together and analysing how they influence each other.
Be sure to keep the question at the forefront of your mind and don’t veer off topic. [1] X Research source

Be sure that you understand all the key terms that you are being asked about.
Try to keep your reading focussed closely to the essay question.
Don’t forget to look at any lecture or class notes you have made.
3 Come up with a thesis statement . A thesis statement is the main argument you will make in your essay. It should be 1-2 sentences long and respond to the essential question that’s being asked. The thesis will help you structure the body of your essay, and each point you make should relate back to the thesis.

Once you have put together a list of key points, then try to add in some more detail that brings in elements from your research.
When you come to write out your essay, you can develop a paragraph based on each point.

All of the evidence and explanation will be in the main body of the essay.
Order the key points in the body of your essay in such a way that they flow logically.
If you are writing a longer essay, you can break the main body into different sections. [2] X Research source
If you have a word limit, be sure to take this into account when you are planning.
Allocate yourself a rough number of words per section.
The introduction and conclusion can be just a paragraph each.

Writing the Essay

What your essay is about.
What material you will cover in the essay.
What your argument is. [3] X Research source

Having this stated clearly at the start can help you to stay focussed on the question as you work your way through the essay.
Try writing out this one or two sentence statement and sticking it up in front of you as you write, so it’s stays at the forefront of your mind.

Try to begin each paragraph with a sentence that outlines what the paragraph will cover.
Look at the opening sentence of each paragraph and ask yourself if it is addressing the essay question. [5] X Research source

Step 4 Provide evidence for your argument.

Try to engage with arguments that run counter to yours, and use the evidence you have found to show the flaws.
It might help to imagine someone reading the essay, and anticipating the objections that he might raise.
Showing that you have thought about potential problems, and you can make an argument that overcomes them, is a hallmark of an excellent essay. [6] X Research source
If there is conflicting evidence, discuss it openly and try to show where the weight of the evidence lies. [7] X Research source
Don’t just ignore the evidence that runs counter to your argument.

In the conclusion you can add a few sentences that show how your essay could be developed and taken further.
Here you can assert why the question is important and make some tentative suggestions for further analysis.

Proofreading and Making Revisions

Step 1 Check for divergences away from the question.

As you read through it, think about how closely you stick to main overarching question.
If you notice paragraphs that drift off into other areas, you need to be tough and cut them out.
You have a limited number of words so it’s essential to make every one count by keeping tightly focussed on the main question.

Step 2 Assess the quality and depth of your argument.

Think about how you use the evidence too. Do you critically engage with it, or do you merely quote it to support your point?
A good analytical essay such discuss evidence critically at all times.
Even if the evidence supports your argument, you need to show that you have thought about the value of this particular piece of data.
Try to avoid making any assumptions, or writing as if something were beyond dispute. [10] X Research source

Step 3 Check spelling, grammar and style.

Remember an academic essay should be written in a formal style, so avoid colloquialisms.
Avoid contractions, such as “don’t”, or “won’t”.
Try to avoid paragraphs that are more than ten or fifteen lines long.
Think about how it looks on the page. [12] X Research source

Step 4 Check your referencing and bibliography.

Always include a bibliography, but don’t include references to things you haven’t read or didn’t inform your argument. [13] X Research source
Your teacher will know if you just add a load of titles into your bibliography that are not evidenced in the body of your essay.
Always follow the bibliography format used by your department or class.

Community Q&A

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About This Article

Before you begin writing your economics essay, make sure to carefully read the prompt so that you have a clear sense of the paper's purpose and scope. Once you have read the prompt, conduct research using your textbook and relevant articles. If you cannot find research materials, ask your instructor for recommendations. After your research is done, construct a 1-2 sentence thesis statement and begin outlining your main ideas so that your essay will have a clear structure. Make sure to leave time to write a draft and revise your work before it is due. If you want to learn more, like how to cite the sources you used for your essay, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Economics Essay Topics: 162 Practical Ideas & Useful Tips

Essay writing is an inherent part of the economics studying process. Nevertheless, it is quite a challenging task. Are you a high school or college student who is struggling with an economic essay topic choice? Or maybe you are unsure about your writing skills?

We know how to help you .

The following article will guide you in choosing the best topic for your essay on economics. Here, you can find a variety of ideas for high school or college. The economic essay topics are divided into several categories that will help you with your research. And a pleasant bonus from our team! We have created a great guide on how to write an economics essay.

So, don’t miss your chance to write an outstanding economic paper! Check out our essay ideas, read our tips carefully, and be ready to receive your grade A!

⭐ Best Economic Topics
🤝 Socio-Economic
🗺️ International Economics
🛠️ Labor Economics
🌆 Urban Economics
⚽ Sports Economics
💉 Health Economics
💼 Business Economics
🏤 Globalization
🧮 Economic History
💫 How to Write?

⭐ 15 Best Economic Essay Topics

2008 Economic Crisis.
Socio-economic policy.
Economic systems – Singapore.
Racial pay gap.
Economic globalization.
History of online trading.
Child labor policies.
The Economic Naturalist.
Foundations of economic theory.
Impact of unemployment.
Universal Basic Income.
The role of consumerism.
Healthcare economics – Canada’s Medicare.
Reasons for recession.
Cryptocurrency & environmental issues.

✨ Excellent Economic Essay Topics

Has economics always been a subject of meticulous research? The question is quite controversial, right? There is no specific time when economics started its rapid progress. Generally, economics remains the topic of interest since the establishment of capitalism in the Western world.

Nowadays, the economy is the main engine that moves our world forward. The way we do business determines the geopolitical situation in the world. Moreover, it influences many other parts of our lives.

The skills developed through studying economics are incredibly versatile.

Economics studying is of utmost importance nowadays. It helps to gain a better understanding of processes that put everything in motion.

Economics is quite broad, so it has a great variety of subfields. And this is a fantastic opportunity for us to generate as many essay ideas as possible. Here, you will find great economic topics for your paper. As mentioned before, we have divided them into several sections to ease your selection process. There’s a wide selection of free college essays samples on economics in our database, too. So be sure to check that out.

🤝 Socio-Economic Essay Topics

The economic impact of racial segregation in America in the 1950s.
Designing a just socio-economic system.
Socio-economic status of Hong Kong in modern-day China. Explain how the city of Hong Kong gained a special status in China. Why did it emerge as one of the most important cities in its economy? Comment on the significance of Hong Kong in the international economic arena.
Economic growth in the United States in the post-World War 2 period.
Mobile banking in Saudi Arabia: towards understanding the factors that affect the sector.
The importance of Dior’s bar suit to the women’s fashion industry.
Economic problems in the 1980’s Soviet Union. Talk about the significant problems with the economy the USSR had in the 1980s. What role did they play in its collapse?
What socio-economic problems did segregation in South Africa cause?
History of economic development in the UAE. Discuss the economic miracle in the UAE and Dubai. Explain how the government could turn the city of Dubai into one of the most famous tourist destinations. What strategies were applied?
Gender inequality and socio-economic development .
The problem of poverty in Venezuela.
How the socio-economic and political position of women changed between 1880 and 1940.
The economic impact of COVID-19 on global trade.

World trade is expected to fall due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

How do the three main economic groups interact with each other? There are three critical economic groups: – Consumers – Producers – Government Analyze the interaction of these groups with each other.
Extended essay: how the study of economic data helped our society to advance?
Western industrialization socio-economic impacts.
Inequality at the top: not all billionaires have the same powers. Analyze billionaires’ net worth, liquidity, political power, and wealth security. Explain why they have unequal social status. What factors determine the influence of billionaires?
An analysis of systems that help us measure agricultural development in a country.
Is social media a useful tool for brand promotion?
The phenomenon of dualism in economic development.

🗺️ International Economics Essay Topics

Globalization and its impact on international economic relations. Define the term globalization. What role does globalization play in international economic relations? Provide specific examples of globalization’s impact on the global political economy.
The lack of justice for the cheap international labor market. Discuss the issue of cheap labor in various countries. Why do some workers often lack fundamental human rights while others abuse moral norms? Analyze the causes and effects of inequality in the workplace.
Japan macroeconomics: problems and possible solutions.
The issue of mercantilism in the history of Great Britain. Analyze the rise and development of mercantilism in the history of Great Britain. To solidify your ideas, provide persuasive arguments, and appropriate examples of mercantilism.
Why does the problem of environmental protection remain unresolved among global economies?
Nissan Motor company’s international business.
International environmental concerns in economics: the case of China .
The issue of international criminal justice in industry. Explain why international businesses often avoid criminal justice after wrongdoings. Select one case of unethical behavior of a company’s CEO or regular employee. Briefly introduce the problem. What were the causes and effects? How was the issue resolved? Express your own opinion regarding the lack of criminal justice in business.
The economy of Singapore and its role in international trade.
International microeconomics trade dispute case study: US-China dispute on the exportation of raw materials.
The phenomenon of the “gig economy” and its impact on the global economy.
The effect of population growth in the international economy.
International economics in the context of globalization.

Technological and political changes have chipped away at the barriers separating nations.

How does Brexit affect the economy of the European Union? Analyze the immediate impact of Brexit on the EU’s economy. Predict future advantages and disadvantages of Brexit for both: Great Britain and the EU.
South Africa: international agribusiness, trade, and financing.
Historical essay: the economy of the Dutch East India company.
The issue of Mozambique’s economy and possible solutions. Investigate the issue of extreme poverty in Mozambique. What are some possible solutions to the problem of poverty? Base your suggestions on the country’s cultural, historical, and geographical aspects.
Imbalances in the global economy. Discuss the imbalances between trading countries on the scale of the global economy. What solutions would you suggest to deal with this issue?
How will global economies adapt to China’s growing power?
Etihad Airways company managerial economics.

🛠️ Labor Economics Essay Topics

Ford Motor company’s labor economics.
Labor economics: child labor.
The UPS firm perspective: the labor market.
Gender inequality of wage rate in modern business. Research how and why gender inequality is still an issue in the modern world of economics. What are some ways to deal with the problem? Present your ideas accurately and effectively. Provide solid arguments and appropriate examples to prove your position.
What are the best ways to increase labor productivity in business?
Labor unions adverse effects on economics.
The decrease of the labor force in modern industries. Talk about the rising rates of robotization in the majority of industries. How will it affect the traditional labor force? Comment on the problem of unemployment caused by labor automatization.
Violations of labor rights of workers.
Modern labor essay: how can an entrepreneur guarantee the minimum wage to their workers?
How can labor geography help develop a special economic zone? Talk about labor geography and its effects on developing an exclusive economic zone. How does the geopolitical location of a particular country influence its level of economic development?
Entrepreneurship in the organic cosmetics sphere.
Gender-oriented labor trade unions. A case study. Discuss the gender-oriented trade unions and analyze their impact on our society.
Child labor in the Turkish cotton industry.

The Syrian refugee crisis increased the risks of child labor in Turkey.

The connection between economic growth and demography. Analyze the connection between economic growth and its demographic context. Investigate both sides: – The issue of overpopulation – The problem of low birth rate. From an economic perspective, what problem is more dangerous?
The issue of sex discrimination in the workplace.
The effects of Landrum-Griffin Labor Act. Explore the labor Act of Landrum-Griffin that was passed in the US Congress in 1959. Discuss its implications and consequences. Discuss its implications and consequences.

🌆 Urban Economics Essay Topics

Cities and their role in aggregate economics.
Urbanization in Hong Kong and its effects on citizens.
The urban planning of the city of New York: a critical analysis. Analyze the urban history of NY. How has the city been developing? Discuss revolutionary solutions to the past and problems of modern times.
The impact of a city’s design on the local traffic.
Dubai’s spatial planning: creative solutions for building a city in the desert.
Globalization, urban political economy, and economic restructuring.
How do urban areas affect local wildlife? Comment on how modern production technologies in urban areas impact the natural diversity of wildlife. What impact does the rapid economic progress have on the environment? Suggest possible solutions.
Urban sociology: does the city make us better people?
Why should people be more careful about investing in real estate? Discuss the issues of overinvestment into real estate. Consider the economic crisis of 2008 as an example.
How can regional authorities help improve a city?
Urban life and its effects on education.
The economic development of a city’s metropolitan area: challenges and solutions.
Main factors for the emergence of cities in the Middle Ages.
The ethics of relocation: is it justified? Talk about the case of relocating locals when building projects of great magnitude. To what extent can it be justified? Mention its economic and ethical side.
The difficulties behind the construction of “green” buildings. Discuss the relatively new phenomenon of environmentally friendly buildings. Analyze both sides: the pros and cons. What obstacles lie behind the “green” building? What opportunities do the “green” buildings offer? Elaborate on your ideas by providing clear arguments or counterarguments.
What factors play a critical role in the success of retail productivity in cities?

⚽ Sports Economics Essay Topics

Do teams with higher budgets perform better on the field?
Corruption in European football leagues: a critical analysis. Investigate the corruption issue in the European football leagues. State reasons and solutions for the problem.
The managerial catastrophe of Arsenal F.C.

The NextG sports company’s communication planning.
Roger D. Blair’s Sports Economics literary review. Write a literary analysis of Sports Economics by Roger D. Blair. Discuss his opinion on the economy of sports. Do you agree or disagree with his position? Provide compelling supportive arguments or strong counterarguments.
How significant is the impact factor of a local team on a city’s economy?
Kinsmen Sports Centre: marketing metrics innovation.
What role does statistical data play in sports? Analyze the part of economic statistical data in different sports organizations. How can statistics help to develop an effective financing plan? Comment on the impact of financing on the performance of a sports club.
Sports and energy drinks marketing analysis.
Is there a connection between the lack of money and any contemporary issues in a sports team?
Performance-enhancing drugs in sports.
The business of FIFA: a financial analysis. Investigate the finances of FIFA. What economic factors make them so influential in the modern world of football?
The global sports retail industry.
The Olympics: logistics and economy. Discuss the logistics behind the Olympics Games event. How the Olympic Games impact the economy of the host country?

💉 Health Economics Essay Topics

Is bioprinting the new future of medicine? Analyze the new market of organ printing and discuss its challenges. Investigate bioprinting from an economic perspective. Will the outputs cover the inputs? How will bioprinting impact the financial aspect of the health care sector?
Cost-effectiveness of pharmaceutical products in the United States. Comment on the immense cost-effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. What do you think is the price of pharmaceutical products reasonable? Is it ethical to set extremely high prices on the medicals?
An economic evaluation of the antibiotics market.
Health economics-SIC and NAICS.
The financial side of cancer treatment: is it too expensive? Analyze the market for cancer treatment programs in various countries. Explore its costs and complications. What are some possible ways to reduce the price of cancer treatment and make it more affordable?
The issue of fast food consumption: a multibillion-dollar market . Fast food has always been one of the notable causes of obesity, diabetes, and other illnesses. Investigate the economic aspect of the issue. Are high profits from fast food production worth peoples’ health conditions?
History and evolution of healthcare economics.

Health has become a dominant economic and political issue over the past years.

The financial management of a hospital: a case study.
The issue of public healthcare in the USA. Write about the long-standing issue of medical sector operation in the USA. Analyze its history, financial, and social aspects.
Demand in healthcare economics.
What are the economic outcomes of a global pandemic? Taking the COVID-19 outbreak as an example, conduct research on the effects of a pandemic on the economy. How does it affect local economies? What impact does the quarantine have on the international economy? Provide appropriate examples to support your ideas.

💼 Business Economics Essay Topics

When does an advertising campaign become unnecessary?
Sustainable development of a nation’s economic stability. Discuss how a country can create a sustainable economy. Provide bright examples to solidify your position.
How can a small business compete with monopolies?
What are the limitations of the Lewis Model?
The phenomenon of inflation: inevitable liability or a land of opportunity for our economies? Explore the process of inflation in modern economies. Does it only have adverse effects on the countries’ economies? Are there any advantages of inflation? Analyze it from a positive perspective.
Economics, business, and sugar in the UK.
The shadow economy of the finance sector. Dive into the backstage of the finance sector and research various “grey” areas where business can be done.
Chinese and Japanese business systems comparison.
Oil demand and its changes in the XXI century: a critical analysis. Analyze the oil sector and write about its fluctuation in the XXI century. How did the changes in oil demand affect the global economy?
The social and economic impact of mass emigration.

🌠 40 More Good Economic Essay Topics

Scrolled through our ideas, but can’t find a suitable topic for yourself? No worries! We have more issues to share with you.

So, don’t stress out. Take a look at our list of economical essay topics. Here are 40 more ideas focusing on globalization and the history of economics.

🏤 Economic Globalization Essay Topics

The impact of globalization on the tourist industry in the Caribbean . Analyze both: the positive and negative effects of globalization on the Caribbean. To make your paper well-structured, explore two advantages and two disadvantages. Don’t forget to improve your essay with strong evidence and appropriate examples!
Toyota Motor Corporation: impacts of globalization.
What are the effects of globalization on developing countries? To what extent do developing countries profit from globalization? Research the subject by comparing various examples.
Defining globalization and its effects on current trade.
Economic growth as a result of globalization: proper financial strategies. How can a country successfully achieve prosperity with globalization? Discuss proper economic strategies.
The socio-political significance of the IT industry’s globalization.
Human trafficking in developing nations as a result of globalization.

Modern-day trafficking of humans has become more rewarding for traffickers due to globalization.

Globalization and criminal justice policy.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of globalization?
Globalization challenges and countermeasures.
The effect of globalization on worldwide trade and employment rates.
Economic integration within the European Union: a critical analysis. Talk about the history of economic integration within the EU. What are the negative and positive outcomes of economic integration?
Globalization and food in Japan.
Does globalization bring negative effects to cultural heritage and identity?
The Industrial Revolution as the first step towards globalization. Focus on the Industrial Revolution in Europe. Discuss its precursors and consequences. Why is the revolution considered to be a starting point of globalization? Provide specific examples of globalization processes that occurred in the economic sector after the Industrial revolution.
Globalization 2.0 an analysis of a book by David Rieff.
Globalization effects on fundamentalism growth.
Does direct investment by foreign businesses come with strings attached? Dive into the shady area of globalization and discuss how to direct foreign investment can bring problems of geopolitical scale.
Effects of globalization on sexuality.
Alibaba’s globalization strategy: an economic analysis.

🧮 Economic History Essay Topics

The rapid economic growth of Europe during the Age of Discovery. Analyze the factors that brought economic growth to Europe during the Age of Discovery. What factors contributed to the dynamic economic progress of that time?
Brazil’s economic history.
History of capitalism: from the Renaissance to the United States of America. Discuss the origins of capitalism and its centuries-long path towards XXth century America. How the establishment of capitalism impacted the economy of the USA?
Max Weber: economic history, the theory of bureaucracy, and politics as a vocation.
2008 Economic Crisis: origins and fallout. Talk about the 2008 Financial Crisis. Discuss its causes and outcomes. What should have been done differently to avoid the global crisis? Comment on the economic strategies countries used to recover from it.
The economic marvel of Communist China: from rags to riches.
What made world economic growth of the Renaissance possible?

Renaissance Europe had a very diverse economy.

The economic history of Canada: how did the settlers facilitate economic growth?
What did the major powers of the XIXth century base their economies on?
The Rothschilds: political and financial role in the Industrial Revolution. Research the dynasty of Rothschilds and how they came to power. What was their role in Europe’s Industrial Revolution?
The link between the “oil curse” and the economic history of Latin America.
Roman Empire’s monetary policy: a socio-economic analysis.
How did the demand for different goods change their value in the 2000s years? Analyze the demand for goods in the 2000s years and their change in value. Why do these fluctuations in demand for products and services occur?
The history of economic thought.
Soviet Union’s economic timeline: from the new Economic Policy to Reformation. Discuss the economic issues of the Soviet Union from the historical perspective. Why did the Soviet Union collapse? What improvements in the financial sector should have been done?
History of France economics over the past 20 years.
The history of economic analysis.
The concept of serfdom and slavery as the main economic engine of the past. Dive into the idea of feudalism and serfdom. Discuss its social and economic aspects.
The World Bank’s structure, history, activities.
The history of Islamic banking: concepts and ideas.

💫 How to Write an Economics Essay?

Generally, essay writing on economics has the same structure as any other essay. However, there are some distinctive features of economic papers. Thus, it is essential to figure them out from the very beginning of your work.

You might be wondering what those aspects of the economic paper are. Well, we have an answer.

An economic essay usually relies on the common essay structure.

Below, you will find a detailed plan that explains the fundamental concepts of the essay writing process. So, don’t hesitate to use our tips! They are indeed helpful.

Pick a topic and dissect it. Picking the right topic is the very basis of writing a successful essay. Think of something that you will be interested in and make sure you understand the issue clearly. Also, don’t forget to check our ultimate economics essay topics and samples list!

Research it. After selecting the right idea from our economical essay topics, research your subject thoroughly. Try to find every fascinating and intriguing detail about it. Remember that you can always ask your fellow students, friends, or a teacher for help.

Come up with a thesis statement. A thesis statement is an essential element of your essay. It will determine your focus and guide the readers throughout your paper. Make your thesis secure and try to catch the reader’s attention using context and word choice.

Outline your essay. Never underestimate the power of a well-structured outline! Creating an essay outline can significantly help you to determine your general plan. Evaluate which economic framework you will be using to address the issue. State the main points of your thesis and antithesis. Make sure that they answer the central question of your work.

Write your introduction. First and foremost, a practical introduction should capture the readers’ attention and state the essay’s key topic. So, put enough effort to develop an outstanding introduction. It will create the first impression of your paper.

Moreover, an introduction should include a thesis statement. As we have mentioned above, a thesis plays a crucial role. Thus, make sure it is clearly stated.

Another significant feature of the introduction is its coherence with the body of your essay. Consequently, the introductory paragraph’s last statement has to present the subject of the next section, generically. Also, keep in mind that no more than three key points can be discussed in a paper, even if it is an extended essay.

Thoroughly work on the body paragraphs. Usually, the body of the essay contains several paragraphs. The number of these paragraphs will depend on the nature of your question. Be sure to create one section for every critical point that you make. This will make your paper properly-structured, and the reader will quickly get your ideas. For your convenience, we created a plan to develop your ideas in each paragraph, So, use it and make your writing process easier!

Argument. Present your argument in the topic sentence of the paragraph in a way that directly answers the question. A hint: the most effective way to introduce the critical point is to place the topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph. This will help the readers to concentrate their attention on a specific idea.
Comment and discussion. Explain the meaning of your argument and provide an economic analysis. Present clear evidence and persuasive arguments to solidify your position.
Connection. Link your comments with the vital point of the paragraph. Demonstrate the coherence of your evidence with the point.
Diagrams, tables, charts. If necessary, provide the reader with visual aids. Sometimes, an appropriate diagram or a suitable chart can say more than words. Besides, your paper will look more professional if you use any kind of visual aids.

Conclude your essay. In your conclusion, summarize and synthesize your work by restating your thesis. Also, it is crucial to strengthen it by mentioning the practical value of your findings. Remember to make your essay readable by choosing appropriate wording and avoiding too complex grammar constructions.

Create a reference list at the bottom of your economic essay if you referred to sources.

Thank you for visiting our page! Did you enjoy our article and learned something new? We are glad to help you. Don’t forget to leave a comment and share the article with others!

🔗 References

High School Economics Topics: Econlib, The Library of Economics and Liberty
Guide to Writing an Economics Essay: The Economics Tutor
How to Write the Introduction of Your Development Economics Paper: David Evans, Center For Global Development
Senior Essay: Department of Economics, Yale University
Developing A Thesis: Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University
Academic Essay Writing, Some Guidelines: Department of Economics, Carleton University
The Writing Process: Writing Centre Resource Guide, LibGuides at Dalhousie University
Research Papers: KU Writing Center, the University of Kansas
Unpacking the Topic: University of Southern Queensland
Economic Issues: PIIE, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Areas of Research: EPI, Economic Policy Institute
Top 100 Economics Blogs Of 2023: Prateek Agarwal, Intelligent Economist
Current Environmental Economic Topics, Environmental Economics: US EPA, United States Environmental Protection Agency
Hot Topics in the U.S. Economy: The Balance
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Tips for writing economics essays

Some tips for writing economics essays Includes how to answer the question, including right diagrams and evaluation – primarily designed for A Level students.

1. Understand the question

Make sure you understand the essential point of the question. If appropriate, you could try and rephrase the question into a simpler version.

For example:

Q. Examine the macroeconomic implications of a significant fall in UK House prices, combined with a simultaneous loosening of Monetary Policy.

In plain English.

Discuss the effect of falling house prices on the economy
Discuss the effect of falling interest rates (loose monetary policy) on economy

In effect, there are two distinct parts to this question. It is a valid response, to deal with each separately, before considering both together.

It helps to keep reminding yourself of the question as you answer. Sometimes candidates start off well, but towards the end forget what the question was. Bear in mind, failure to answer the question can lead to a very low mark.

2. Write in simple sentences

For clarity of thought, it is usually best for students to write short sentences. The main thing is to avoid combining too many ideas into one sentence. If you write in short sentences, it may sound a little stilted; but it is worth remembering that there are no extra marks for a Shakespearian grasp of English. (at least in Economics Exams)

Look at this response to a question:

Q. What is the impact of higher interest rates?

Higher interest rates increase the cost of borrowing. As a result, those with mortgages will have lower disposable income. Also, consumers have less incentive to borrow and spend on credit cards. Therefore consumption will be lower. This fall in consumption will cause a fall in Aggregate Demand and therefore lead to lower economic growth. A fall in AD will also reduce inflation.

I could have combined 1 or 2 sentences together, but here I wanted to show that short sentences can aid clarity of thought. Nothing is wasted in the above example.

Simple sentences help you to focus on one thing at once, which is another important tip.

3. Answer the question

Quite frequently, when marking economic essays, you see a candidate who has a reasonable knowledge of economics, but unfortunately does not answer the question. Therefore, as a result, they can get zero for a question. It may seem harsh, but if you don’t answer the question, the examiner can’t give any marks.

At the end of each paragraph you can ask yourself; how does this paragraph answer the question? If necessary, you can write a one-sentence summary, which directly answers the question. Don’t wait until the end of the essay to realise you have answered a different question.

Discuss the impact of Euro membership on UK fiscal and monetary policy?

Most students will have revised a question on: “The benefits and costs of the Euro. Therefore, as soon as they see the Euro in the title, they put down all their notes on the benefits and costs of the Euro. However, this question is quite specific; it only wishes to know the impact on fiscal and monetary policy.

The “joke” goes, put 10 economists in a room and you will get 11 different answers. Why? you may ask. The nature of economics is that quite often there is no “right” answer. It is important that we always consider other points of view, and discuss various different, potential outcomes. This is what we mean by evaluation.

Macro-evaluation

Depends on the state of the economy – full capacity or recession?
Time lags – it may take 18 months for interest rates to have an effect
Depends on other variables in the economy . Higher investment could be offset by fall in consumer spending.
The significance of factors . A fall in exports to the US is only a small proportion of UK AD. However, a recession in Europe is more significant because 50% of UK exports go to EU.
Consider the impact on all macroeconomic objectives . For example, higher interest rates may reduce inflation, but what about economic growth, unemployment, current account and balance of payments?
Consider both the supply and demand side . For example, expansionary fiscal policy can help to reduce demand-deficient unemployment, however, it will be ineffective in solving demand-side unemployment (e.g. structural unemployment)

Example question :

The effect of raising interest rates will reduce consumer spending.

However , if confidence is high, higher interest rates may not actually discourage consumer spending.

fall-in-ad-depending-spare-capacity-full

If the economy is close to full capacity a rise in interest rates may reduce inflation but not reduce growth. (AD falls from AD1 to AD2)

However , if there is already a slowdown in the economy, rising interest rates may cause a recession. (AD3 to AD3)

Micro-evaluation

1. The impact depends on elasticity of demand

In both diagrams, we place the same tax on the good, causing supply to shift to the left.

When demand is price inelastic, the tax causes only a small fall in demand.
If demand is price elastic, the tax causes a bigger percentage fall in demand.

2. Time lag

In the short term, demand for petrol is likely to be price inelastic. However, over time, consumers may find alternatives, e.g. they buy electric cars. In the short-term, investment will not increase capacity, but over time, it may help to increase a firms profitability. Time lags.

3. Depends on market structure

If markets are competitive, then we can expect prices to remain low. However, if a firm has monopoly power, then we can expect higher prices.

4. Depends on business objectives

If a firm is seeking to maximise profits, we can expect prices to rise. However, if a firm is seeking to maximise market share, it may seek to cut prices – even if it means less profit.

5. Behavioural economics

In economics, we usually assume individuals are rational and seeking to maximise their utility. However, in the real world, people are subject to bias and may not meet expectations of classical economic theory. For example, the present-bias suggest consumers will give much higher weighting to present levels of happiness and ignore future costs. This may explain over-consumption of demerit goods and under-consumption of merit goods. See: behavioural economics

Exam tips for economics – Comprehensive e-book guide for just £5

8 thoughts on “Tips for writing economics essays”

I really want to know the difference between discussion questions and analysis questions and how to answer them in a correct way to get good credit in Economics

Analysis just involves one sided answers while Discussion questions involve using two points of view

This is a great lesson learnd by me

how can I actually manage my time

The evaluation points in this article are really useful! The thing I struggle with is analysis and application. I have all the knowledge and I have learnt the evaluation points like J-curve analysis and marshall learner condition, but my chains of reasoning are not good enough. I will try the shorter sentences recommended in this article.

What kind of method for costing analysis is most suitable for a craft brewery, in order to analyze the cost of production of different types of beer_

Really useful!Especially for the CIE exam papers

Does anyone know how to evaluate in those advantages/disadvantages essay questions where you would basically analyse the benefits of something and then evaluate? Struggling because wouldn’t the evaluation just be the disadvantages ?? Like how would you evaluate without just stating the disadvantage?

Essay writing

The idea of setting essays is to offer you the chance to make a longer, more complex argument. Nonetheless, in the model we recommend, the fundamentals remain the same. In each paragraph, a flow of main idea (thesis) — explanation / reasoning (justification) — evidence / example (support) is an excellent structure to use. If you read through academic writing, you will find this structure over and over. The same is true for professional writing. There are of course other structures, however this one always works and makes you sound concise and clear.

An essay has conventional sections that it is wise to follow. These are an introduction, main body and a conclusion. The 'LSE' essay structure can be described as 'say what you're going to say (intro), say it in detail (main body), say what you've said (conclusion)'. Although this may appear repetitive, it offers the reader great clarity. Also, if you think about the executive summary, background, analysis and conclusions / recommendations sections of a business report, you can see that a similar structure holds.

In your essay, try to follow this structure for your essay sections.

Statement about the context of the question — explain why the question in important (either in the 'real' world or for the discipline of economics)

Give your answer to the question

Summarise your argument in support of this answer — this summary should match the order of your paragraphs

Decide on the most logical order of your paragraphs — this might be importance, chronology or causation, but the basic flow should be simple and clear

Start each paragraph with a sentence that clearly addresses the question itself — this will be your thesis for the paragraph and if a reader only read these opening sentences, they should make sense one after the other and provide a summary of your argument Follow the opening 'topic' sentence with your reasoning and evidence for why this opening statement is valid. Be specific, not general. The more detail you can bring in, the more expert you will sound and the more persuasive your argument will be

Conclusion Summarise your argument again — as you did in the intro (different words though!)

Restate your answer to the essay question

So what? — say what the significance of your answer is either in the 'real' world or to the discipline of economics

Bibliography

List the books / articles you read while researching your answer

Below you'll find two essays written by students last year. Bearing the above in mind, decide which one makes the clearer argument and which, therefore, got the higher mark.

In the year 2000, there were auctions of spectrum rights for third generation mobile telephones in several European countries. These auctions generated very different amount of revenue in different countries. How can this be explained?

Auction theory as a very useful brunch of game theory is of the great interest of modern economists. Among other reasons of its popularity stands direct importance of its ideas to modern businesses and governments. Nowadays any business sector is more or less competitive, which requires all it's participants to be dynamic and creative. Modernization and expansion is a vital part of modern business world. Governments, as owners of resources that allow businesses to expand and modernize, are always ready to sell those resources as it will eventually help businesses and certainly bring revenues.

The best way for government to sell available resources is to declare an auction. That's where auction theory comes into play. Modern auction theory is a very powerful tool for designing auctions of very profitable kind. Proper auction design will rise maximum amount of money for the government and provide companies with resources they need. However actions that maximize profits for the government have a direct influence also on the life of the citizens, as Dixit puts it: "...because of significant contributions the budget, auctions affect important macroeconomic magnitudes, such as interest rates".

So, auctions held by government, and to be more specific properly designed actions directly influence the life of modern country. In this essay I would like to make a kind of short review of auctions of spectrum rights for third generation mobile phones held in Europe in year 2000. The peculiarity of these auctions lies in the fact that revenues that were generated by European governments are different as a result of differently designed actions they held. This fact allows as to trace features of the auctions that were successful and resulted in relatively high revenues for the government.

There were 6 European countries to held spectrum right auctions in 2000. They were: United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Switzerland. Let's start with United Kingdom as it was the first country to hold such kind of auctions.

Strategy that United Kingdom had chosen was selling 5 licenses during classical ascending auction. Auction resulted in huge revenues: 650 euros per capita. Firstly it should be said that auctions as any normal business activity should be competitive in order to be effective. UK spectrum auction was relatively competitive attracting 13 participants. There are several reasons why this action attracted so many participants. Firstly, UK was the first country in the world to hold spectrum rights auction. Participants were not completely aware of the usefulness of 3G cell phones, but were eager to get competitive advantage in the new generation mobile communication technology. Secondly, UK sold 5 licenses to the market with 4 major phone operators. This fact attracted new entrants, since at least one of the licenses can be potentially won by new entrants to the market. Both this facts generated highly competitive auction environment and limited possible collusions. Result of the auction was a huge success for UK government.

The next country to run spectrum rights auction in 2000 was Netherlands. This auction raised 170 euros per capita. Reason of such flop, comparing to the British result was lack of competition. When auction were run there were 5 major phone operators for 5 licenses to be sold. Few entrants decided to participate in the auction, since everybody was sure that 5 licenses will be distributed among market leaders. Another factor that made things even worse was the fact that that was an ascending auction. In this case with few participants there is a risk of collusion among market leaders. Netherlands would have generated much more money if they would some how encourage competition and change the action design in such a way that it would be possible for participants other than market leaders to place bids independently of each other to reduce collusion (sealed bid).

Italy generated 240 euros per capita and attracted 6 participants. Italy intentionally reduced amount of participants by imposing a requirements that participant of the auction must satisfy. Such situation combined with the fact that Italian auction was ascending could result in possible collusions among competitors. As a result wrong auction design resulted in low revenues.

Swiss auction was a real flop. They generated only 20 euros per capita. Here amount of participants was also artificially limited by allowing participants to join into the groups. And the price that government accepts was also reduced for some reason. Number of participants was sufficient to run profitable auction, but combination of officially permitted collusions and low reserve price resulted in absolutely insufficient revenues.

German and Austrian auctions were similar. Number of participants in both countries' auctions was low, which means that there were risks of collusion. Both countries sold licenses in blocks, allowing "number of winners be determined by bidders". Additionally Austrian government set a very low reserve price. Germany and Austria generated 615 and 100 euros per capita in revenue respectively. Germany designed auction in such a way that bids of two main market players were rationalized in a way that it resulted in high revenues.

Generally, the main difference in revenues generated from spectrum rights auctions can be explained by the difference in chosen auction design. Different auction design results in different amounts of money in revenues. Countries that tried to facilitate competitive bidding and limited the possibilities of collusion enjoyed high revenues.

Klemperer say that what really matters in auction design is "robustness against collusion and attractiveness to entry". Exactly the combination or lack of one of this factors resulted in the difference in the revenues generated by European countries. Any country that wants to increase revenues from auction must try to facilitate the competition among bidders by trying to make participation in auction as attractive as possible and eliminating any barriers for participation. There should be no cooperation between participants, as it will result in lower bids and as a consequence in low revenues. Countries should not choose auction design that facilitates collusion, as ascending auction in our case.

Of course there are several other reasons for difference in revenues, among them there is a fact that UK as a country that run the first spectrum rights auction in the world, might have enjoyed high revenues simply because participants were new to the licenses and had no idea of their true value. Overall economic situations in the counties as well as political might also result in differences in revenues. But the main reason for difference in profitability of the spectrum licenses auctions is difference in auction designs which were effective in some countries and not in the others.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A.K. Dixit and S. Skeath, Games of Strategy , 2nd edition, Norton, 2004

Paul Klemperer, Auctions: Theory and Practice Electronic version of book on http://www.paulklemperer.org/index.htm

In the year 2000, European auctions of 3G mobile telecommunication licenses raised over 100 billion euros in government revenues. The countries that participated were United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Austria. There was a big differential between revenues raised in each country with United Kingdom leading at 650 euros per capita and Switzerland coming in last at 20 euros per capita. The reasons for this big discrepancy in revenues is likely due to poor auction designs and the sequence in which the auctions took place.

When it comes to auction design, the two crucial components are attracting entry and preventing collusion. Ascending auctions encourage bidders to act collusively and deter weaker potential bidders as they know that the stronger bidder will always out bid him. On the other hand, (first-price) sealed-bid auctions act in the opposite direction from ascending auctions. It does not give bidders a chance to collude and encourages weaker bidders to participate. However, the disadvantage of using a sealed-bid auction is that it is more likely to lead to inefficient results than an ascending auction. The reason for this is that sometimes bidders with a lower value may beat opponents with a higher value. Hence, there is no perfect auction design and they must be customized to suit different environments and targets.

United Kingdom was the first to hold the auctions and they are a good example of how a well-planned auction design and good marketing strategies can lead to a favourable outcome. As there were five licenses and 4 incumbents, they had an ascending auction. To prevent collusion, each license could not be shared and each bidder was allowed no more than one license. Also, the fact that at least one license was available to new entrants lead to fierce competition from nine new entrants. To top it all off, UK had a solid marketing strategy which was planned over three years (1997 - 2000). All this helped contribute to UK raising 39 billion euros and being the most successful out of all the countries that took part in the 3G auctions.

Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland made the mistake of following UK and carrying out an ascending auction when a sealed-bid auction would have served them better. This resulted in revenues less than that achieved by UK.

In the case of Netherlands, they had five licenses and five incumbents. This deterred new entrants as well as facilitated collusion. For example, Deutsche Telekom colluded with local incumbents to bid for a 3G license. A sealed-bid would have worked better as this would have discouraged joint bidding, raise higher revenues as well as give new entrants a glimmer of hope.

Italy had their auction next but failed to learn from Netherlands and UK. Their auction design was not robust and failed to adapt to the environment in Italy. They adopted the UK design but had the additional rule that if bidders did not exceed licenses, the number of licenses would be reduced. They did not realize that having one more bidder than license does not assure that the outcome will be competitive. Also, Italy had failed to anticipate that firms would react differently to those in Netherlands and UK as they now had more information. Hence, weaker bidders were discouraged by previous auctions and did not bother to participate and since the participation rate was low, it made it easier for the strong bidders to collude. A bad auction design that was not tailored to the Italian environment and a low reserve price resulted in Italy only earning less than 25 billion euros.

Switzerland was the most unsuccessful amongst all the countries that held the auctions. It raised only 20 euros per capita in its ascending auction and this can be attributed to an unfeasible auction design, badly formulated rules and an absurdly low reserve price. Since the beginning, weaker bidders were deterred by the auction form. They felt that they did not stand a chance against the strong bidders and hence did not bother participating. This resulted in little competition. Furthermore, The Swiss government committed auction suicide when they permitted last-minute joint-bidding! This resulted in nine bidders colluding to become just four. The last mistake that the Swiss government made was to set a reserve price that was way too low. Since there were four licenses and four bidders, bidders ended up paying only the reserve price.

Germany and Austria chose a more complicated auction design.

Germany's auction design was an ascending auction of twelve blocks of spectrum from which bidders could create four three-block licenses or six two-block licenses. Germany's auction design was very susceptible to collusion and deterring new entrants but they were lucky and managed to earn high revenues.

Austria, on the other hand, adopted Germany's auction design but was not so lucky and only earned 100 euros per capita. The reason for this was that there were 6 bidders competing for 12 blocks of spectrum and a very low reserve price (one-eight of the reserve price in Germany). So instead of trying to get three blocks of spectrum, the bidders divided the 12 blocks of spectrum equally and paid the reserve price. This reason lead to Austria earning less per capita revenue than UK and Germany.

The other factor that affected the amount of revenue earned by each country was the sequence in which the auctions took place. Looking at the results of the 3G auctions held in 2000, it can be seen that the most successful auctions were the first of their type (United Kingdom and Germany). The reason for this is that between auctions, bidders learnt from previous auctions, came up with new strategies and learnt more about their rivals. However, the auction designs remained almost the same and were unable to keep up with the new ideas the bidders had come up with. This resulted in the later auctions not being as successful as the first.

In conclusion, the reason for the different revenues earned amongst the countries that took part in the 3G auctions is due to the auction designs and the sequence in which they took place. Revenues depend on how well the auction design is able to attract entry and prevent collusion. Also, it has to be able to adapt to new environments. For example, a good auction design takes into account the information bidders have and the knowledge they have gained from previous auctions. A sensible reserve price is of high importance as well and should not be overlooked like in the case of Switzerland and Germany. Lastly, auction design is not "one size fits all" and the failure of the government to design an auction that suited the country's environment lead to different revenues being earned.

References:

A.K. Dixit and S.Skeath, Games of Strategy, 2 nd edition, Norton, 2004

Professor Kenneth Binmore, "Economic Theory Sometimes Works"

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Economics and Finance

This guide to essay writing outlines just one way to structure an essay. It is by no means the only way, and your professor may or may not require you to structure your essays this way. It follows the general pattern "tell what you're about to say, say it, and then tell what you've just said." Sound a bit repetitive? It is, a little, but it helps make your ideas clear.

I. The Introduction

First Paragraph.

The first few sentences should introduce the general topic of the paper.

Example: "John Maynard Keynes revolutionized economics with the publication of his General Theory in 1936. Among the most controversial of his ideas is the view that full-employment is impossible without extensive government intervention in the economy."

After one to three introductory sentences, introduce the second most important point to be made in the essay. This will be the second issue discussed at length in the body of the essay. The last point mentioned in the introductory paragraph should be the most important point, and the first point discussed in the body of the essay. Thus, the last sentence of the introductory paragraph introduces the topic of the next paragraph in a general way. In the introductory paragraph, one, or, at most, two sentences are needed to introduce an issue. Furthermore, no more than three or four important points can be discussed adequately in an essay -- even in a very long essay.

On occasion it is useful to include two introductory paragraphs. The first should discuss why the essay topic is important; the second should introduce the three important issues to be discussed at length in the body of the essay.

II. The Body of the Essay

A few paragraphs for each important issue.

The first several paragraphs after the introduction should discuss the most important point of the essay. In an argumentative essay, it should be the strongest argument supporting the writer's viewpoint. In a more narrative type of essay, this might be the most important factor influencing a particular event, or the key issue over which economists (for example) differ. Please keep in mind that there is no such thing as a "neutral" or "objective" report.

The next several paragraphs after those making the most important point, should take up the second most important point. After that, the third most important point should be discussed. One of these might be a refutation of a viewpoint at odds with that of the writer; or an explanation of why some apparently important factors are of only secondary importance.

Each and every paragraph in the body (and conclusion) of the essay must begin with a "topic" sentence. It should state the topic of the paragraph -- one topic per paragraph please!

III. The Conclusion

The last several paragraphs.

The conclusion should summarize what has been said in the body of the essay. It should tie together the three (or four) important points made.

It is often a good idea to mention one or two important implications or unanswered questions that follow from the essay.

Above all, there should be no surprises for the reader in the conclusion. Introduce no new points. If there is something that hasn't been mentioned already, it should follow logically and clearly from something in the body of the essay.

IV. The Outline

Always make an outline of an essay before writing it . An essay can be written by making successively more detailed outlines. Identify the three important points, and break each of them down into several parts (A.,B., and C.). These will become topic sentences for paragraphs. Then "flesh-out" each paragraph. The reader should be able to reconstruct your initial outline easily.

I. Introduction -- first paragraph.

II. Most important point -- next several paragraphs.

A. Paragraph Topic Sentence (first sentence)

1. Second sentence.

2. Third sentence.

III. Next most important point.

IV. Third most important point.

V. Conclusion

Some general writing tips for academic papers.

Always reread what you have written several times.

Can the same thing be said in fewer words?

Does anything need more explanation?

Is the body of your essay overly repetitious?

Do you give too much detail in the introduction?

Would the outline of the essay be clear to the reader?

Is the grammar correct? Is the spelling correct?

Does each of your paragraphs have a topic sentence? Are any paragraphs too long, or too short (less than two sentences)?

Is the argument logical and clear? Does it say what you want it to say?

Always write in the third person (he, she, it). Never write in the first (I, we) or second (you) person. The subject of a sentence should never be "I" or "you."

Use gender-neutral pronouns when referring to people in general, or "the human race". "He" must have a masculine antecedent, and "she" must have a feminine antecedent. Otherwise, use "he or she", "s/he", "they", or "people" or "a person".

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Why I Majored in Economics

Cameron greene '24.

I arrived at Yale thinking I would major in Ethics, Politics, and Economics and eventually attend law school. I took coursework in Directed Studies, Russian language, and political theory.

Taking intro microeconomics in the summer before sophomore year with Professor Koker, I enjoyed learning about the behavior of rational agents, such as the need to weigh opportunity costs. The economist’s way of thinking resonated with me. By providing new motivation, economics rekindled my love of math. Since sophomore year I have worked as an economic research assistant through the Tobin program and individual hires in the School of Management, Jackson School, and ISPS. Junior year, I switched to the Economics major for the opportunities to work more closely with economics faculty and to take more quantitative economics coursework.

The community is intimate. It is easy to find classmates to work on psets with. I have discovered new interests through the structure of the major and the research interests of faculty. Entering my senior year, I am looking forward to the challenge of writing my thesis. I am grateful for the support I have received from faculty mentors.

Marcella Villagomez '24

When I got to Yale, I planned to major in Computer Science and Economics. I knew I wanted to explore and develop empirical models and understand their implications.

I decided on switching to just Economics at the end of my Sophomore year. I found a deep interest in the high-level programming required of econometrics, and found that there were a multitude of careers I could pursue within that realm. I have always found an interest in Economics due to its unique ability to bring together the quantitative (via modeling) and the qualitative (consistently diving into why the model appears the way it does).

I have thoroughly appreciated my experience within the major. Given that there are relatively few major requirements, I had the opportunity to explore so many different applications within the real-world, such as trade, industrial organization, and healthcare.

Nicholas Trenholm '24

In high school, I developed a very strong interest in government and politics. This led me to enter Yale planning to major in Ethics, Politics, and Economics – an interdisciplinary program that prepares you for a career in public policy.

My freshman year, I took classes in all three of the disciplines under the umbrella of the EP&E major. After completing two semesters, one thing was clear. I enjoyed my economics classes far more than the others. I loved the real world applicability, the basis in quantitative and observable fact, and the logical puzzles that economics problems present you with. Yale's economics department boasts the best faculty in the world who, while producing industry-leading research, take deep care and pride in teaching undergraduates. The department also gives students the chance to participate in and contribute to innovative research projects. I have had the opportunity to learn from such an amazing array of professors, such as William Nordhaus and Costas Meghir. With course flexibility and a wide variety of electives, you can truly make the major your own. I decided to major in economics because I am passionate about the subject and value the support given by the wonderful advisors, staff, and faculty in the department.

My experience as an economics major has been one of growth and excitement. The major's core classes provide students with an excellent foundational knowledge of economics. You will be challenged at times and rewarded for the learning experience you are taking part in. I love the freedom provided by the major so that each semester I can put together a class schedule that excites me. From game theory to personal finance, each class is an opportunity to improve your economic toolkit and engage with a new and interesting subject matter. In addition to the world-class professors, the teaching assistants and advisors in the economics department really define the major. They always go the extra mile to ensure students are having a positive, constructive learning experience. The overall economics community at Yale is supportive, collaborative, and dynamic. I would encourage all new students to explore economics at Yale.

Annie Lin '24

I arrived at Yale in September 2020 planning to double major in Economics and Electrical Engineering.

I've known that Economics was my major for me since my Junior year of high school, and it was probably not for the reason why everyone else majored in Economics. I like Economics because I sucked at it - I simply could not understand how one could translate social behavior down to models and numbers on a piece of paper. I think the challenge of delving into a field so unfamiliar and knowing that I had to work harder to strengthen my knowledge and build the necessary quantitative skills drove me to enjoy the work as I began to see Economics' practical applications in real life. I worked to build my understanding of the principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics brick by brick until I had a solid foundation that allowed me to explore other fascinating areas, such as labor economics and behavioral finance, and decided that it was the major for me ever since then.

My experience as an economics major has been very fruitful, especially as a student of another STEM major (electrical engineering), I could combine complementary skills from both majors to further my understanding of underlying concepts from both majors. I've particularly enjoyed using my coding background to work on data-driven projects as a Tobin RA or creating a simple regression model for PSETs. The best part of being an Economics major is that you are hands-on with applying the theories you've learned in class to history or your own models while working with the most up-and-coming researchers in your field.

Up: Home : Study Guidance > Effective Writing and Referencing > Structuring an Essay

Structuring an Essay

The standard way to think about structuring an essay is in three parts.

Introduction

This should explain why the question is important. It should also signpost how you are going to tackle the question in the main body of the essay and it can include the conclusion of your argument.

The introduction should be short and concise – you rarely get any marks for it directly. Most students spend too long on their introductions, at the expense of their analysis and conclusion (especially in exam questions).

This should be a series of paragraphs. Each might be a self-contained argument (which follows the Thesis – Justification – Support rhetoric) or the argument might be spread over several paragraphs (if your justification is long, for example).

It is important to make sure your paragraphs flow logically. Typically they will be ordered in terms of importance, although other orderings are possible (e.g. chronological).

This should restate your main argument (although not in exactly the same words as the introduction). You can remind readers why the issue is important, and make some tentative policy implications from your analysis.

It might also be possible to mention other considerations which are possible areas of future investigation but which you haven’t had time/space to address.

See Bray et al . for more about structure.

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Economics Revision Essay Plans

Last updated 17 Dec 2019

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This series of resources provides revision essay plans for a wide variety of essay topics, including synoptic questions.

For the 2019 papers check out our collection of videos on building A* evaluation into your answers

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Harvard International Economics

Essay contest (hieec).

HIEEC provides students the opportunity to demonstrate an accomplished level of writing and understanding of economic theory. Through the contest, students hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge.

HIEE C 202 3 -2024

Hieec 2023-2024 is now closed. .

The 2023-2024 Harvard International Economics Essay Contest is sponsored by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA). This essay competition is open to high school studen ts of any year and is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrat e an accom plished level of writing and understanding of economic the ory. T hrough the contest, student competitors hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge to future employers and academic programs.

Competitors must construct a convincing argument using economic theory and real-world examples. Winning essays will be published on our website and will be available for the greater Harvard community to read. Essays should focus on argumentation supported with facts and references, although data-based support is also welcome.

Yiheng Lyu

Audrey Ku k

Hyoungjin Jin

Juyoung Chun

Kevin Zhang

Matthew Choi

Mikayil Sadikhov

Raunak Agarwal

Vallabh Himakunthala

Highly Commended

Aronima Biswas

Aryan Nangia

Kridaya Gupta

Leonardo Jia

Rohan Mathur

Anagha Chakravarti

Amberlynn Gong

Neha Shanavas

Donghyeon Oh

2023-2024 Essay Questions

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to affect growth, inequality, productivity, innovation, and employment. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in particular, has greatly increased public awareness about the significance of AI and its implications for the future. What impact will the development of AI have on economic inequality, the composition of the workforce, and economic output as a whole? How can nations prepare for the micro and macroeconomic changes brought about by AI?

Measuring national and global economic activity allows us to understand how economies change in size and structure—how they grow and contract. In addition to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), government budgets, and the money supply, alternatives like the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gross National Income (GNI) are used to assess economic progress. What are the advantages of our current economic indices, including GDP, HDI, GNI, government budgets, and the money supply, and in what areas are they lacking? Which of these indices do you find most helpful, and how can we enhance or combine them to improve our understanding of economic measurement?

Proponents of income redistribution support the idea that redistribution policies will increase economic stability and give more opportunities to the less wealthy. Others, however, are more skeptical and believe it could have negative consequences for economic growth. Current methods of redistribution include taxation, welfare, public services, and other monetary policies. What strategies for income redistribution should the U.S. adopt from other countries? What economic impacts could a wealth tax or super millionaire tax have? What type of redistribution is most effective and feasible? What would be the impacts of the U.S. enacting universal basic income? Discuss the implications of any of these issues and feel free to expand on other areas of economic redistribution.

As the United States weighs the impacts of China’s rise to global prominence, economics and national security have become increasingly intertwined. As a result, the United States government has imposed both tariffs and investment restrictions on China to limit the nation’s access to both US markets and intellectual property (specifically in sensitive industries such as semiconductors). What are the economic implications of these policies for United States firms, consumers, and workers? Discuss the most important perspectives of the US-China trade war and provide suggestions on how both countries can manage the prospect of a changing economic order.

2nd November 2023 – Essay titles released

11:59pm EST 5th January 2024 – Essay submission deadline

Late February 2024* – Highly Commended and Finalists notified

Early March 2024 * – Winners notified, results published on the website

*We received a high volume of submissions, therefore we anticipate that it will take us a couple m ore w eeks to release the results.

Entrants must choose one of the four prompts and write a response to it with a strict limit of 1500 words. Submission must be via the HUEA website and entrants are limited to submitting one essay with only the first submission being considered. Each essay submission will have a $20 reading fee which should be paid upon submission of the essay. If this fee will impose a significant financial burden on your family, please email us. The deadline for submitting the essay is 11:59pm EST January 5th, 2024.

Please submit essay submissions via this form.

If the above link does not work, use: https://forms.gle/9NVDu9WVbU71iPpq6

*Be sure to read all the details in the submission form carefully before submitting, as failure to complete any of the steps correctly may result in your submission not being considered.

The essays will be judged by the board of the HUEA, with the top 10 submissions being adjudicated by the esteemed Harvard professor and 2016 Economics Nobel Prize winner Oliver Hart.

The top three winning essays will be published ( with the author’s permission) on our website. A finalist s list of the top submissions will be published online and adjudicated by 2016 Economics Nobel Prize Winner Oliver Hart. A list of names that will receive the "Highly Commended" distinction will also be published online. The judges' decisions are final.

Terms and Conditions

The word limit of 1500 must be strictly adhered to. Any words past the limit will be truncated. This limit excludes references, footnotes, titles, headers and footers.

Essays must be written only by the entrant. Any outside assistance must be declared in the beginning or end of the essay.

Only your first submission will be accepted. Any further submissions will not be read.

References must be included, and any plagiarism will lead to disqualification.

References must be in Chicago or APA format.

The only accepted document formatting is PDF. Any other format will not be accepted, nor will refunds be given to those who do not follow this rule.

No refunds are granted.

Grades 9-12 are permitted.

The essay must not be entered in any other competition nor be published elsewhere.

No individual feedback of essays will be granted.

The decisions made by HUEA by the final round of adjudication are final.

All winners agree to their names being published on the HUEA website.

Past Winners

2022 prompts an d winners.

In recent years and decades, many countries have seen fertility rates drop, potentially leading to falling populations. Currently, China has a fertility rate of 1.3, one of the lowest in the world. However, in 2021, China experienced GDP growth of 8% with output totaling $17.7 trillion. Will this lowered fertility rate (with potential to fall further) affect China’s economic growth and policy? How so? What, if anything, can the Chinese government do to limit the risk of falling fertility rates?

U.S. mortgage rates recently passed 7%, making the purchase of a new home increasingly unaffordable. Meanwhile, the United States has suffered from a chronic shortage of available housing for decades, particularly in urban areas, leading to what many scholars and advocates call an affordability crisis. Why is housing so unaffordable in the U.S.? What can (or should) be done by private actors, state and local governments, and the federal government to alleviate the affordability crisis?

It is often suggested that a tradeoff exists between economic growth and the health of the environment, especially now as the threat of climate change becomes more dire. What economic risks does a changing climate pose? Can economic growth be consistent with a healthy environment? What policies, either market-based or otherwise, should governments enact to protect the environment while posing the least danger to economic efficiency?

Central banks such as the Federal Reserve in the U.S. and the Bank of England in the UK manage their nation’s macroeconomies with the goal of ensuring price stability and maximum employment. Globally, inflation rates are rising to levels not seen since the 1980s, particularly in the U.S. and European countries. To what extent should the monetary policies of central banks in various Western countries differ or resemble one another as a reaction to the specific causes of inflation facing their economies?

Click below to view each winner's essay

Ashwin t elang * nanxi jiang * duncan wong, 2019 wi n ner.

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/when-is-one-choice-one-t oo-many

2020 Winners

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/covid-19-and-the-market

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/automation-and-jobs-this-time-is-different

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/making-rational-decisions

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What is an economics personal statement?

An economics personal statement should describe your motivations for wanting to study this subject. It tells the university who you are and why you will make a great economics candidate. Whether you're applying for an undergraduate or postgraduate course, it's crucial you present yourself in the best possible light to convince admissions tutors you will be a valuable asset to their department.

Your economics personal statement will be used by universities to decide whether you are a good student to study economics, and whether they want to offer you a place on their course.

How do I write an economics personal statement?

We recommend you start your economics personal statement by jotting down some ideas about your skills, experience, hobbies/extracurricular activities, strengths and ambitions for the future. Our personal statement template can help you structure your thoughts into coherent and concise paragraphs.

Start early and give yourself plenty of time to re-draft your economics statement, and proofread it for spelling and grammar. You will need to go through at least three or four revisions before you have a final, polished draft.

Once you're happy with it, make sure you check it for spelling and grammar (don't just rely on Spellchecker for this). Get someone else to read through it if you're worried you might miss something. You can then think about pasting it into your UCAS form, ready to send off.

What should I include in my economics personal statement?

Be specific and try to give examples of your problem-solving and analytical skills, both of which are important in an economics degree.
If you’re applying for a joint honours, e.g. economics and maths , then tailor your statement so you relate it to both of these subjects.
A business management and economics personal statement might mention a role of responsibility, such as leader of your student debating society or head boy/girl at your sixth form. Or for an economics and finance personal statement , you could mention managing money at your Saturday job.
Any hobbies or other activities you are involved in outside of school should always be linked to your economics course. If you don't feel something is relevant, then don't mention it - remember you only have a limited space of 4,000 characters, so every word has to earn its place. Our personal statement length checker can help you with this.
Round off by talking about your career plans and any other ambitions you have for the future. Mention how your economics degree is going to help you achieve this.

How do I write the introduction for my economics personal statement?

Your introduction should pick out one or two aspects of economics that you particularly enjoy or are passionate about. For example, you might talk about your interest in current affairs and world development, and include one or two situations that made you want to study economics in more detail. This could be anything from a fiscal decision made by the Bank of England, or a how a civil war in another country has affected their levels of income.

By starting with an anecdote, or a specific situation you've read about or experienced, you will have a better chance of drawing the reader in, and making them want to finish reading your personal statement.

Whatever you choose to open with, it should be reflective and persuade the admissions tutors that this is the only subject you want to go on to study at university.

Economics personal statement introduction example

To help demonstrate what you should include in your opening paragraph, take a look at this great example below, where the writer uses their experience of growing up in a poor country where wealth was unevenly distributed as a catalyst for developing their interest in economics:

"Being born and brought up in a country where an uneven distribution of income is a norm, the poor live on a minimum wage of Rupees 115 a day, whilst the billionaires form the sixth largest group in the world. This vast contrast between the rich and the poor has always intrigued me and I have often questioned how this economy India, functions with such instability and chaos."

Here is another good example from another student, who talks about how their studies of the Great Depression ignited their appreciation for economics:

"Studying the Great Depression in the USA in 1929 for my extended project is when I started to fully appreciate my interest in economics. Being able to analyse and argue the issues within my extended project and relate it to the current economic crisis has awakened my passion for the subject further, especially as this subject is covered extensively in the news and media. This shows that economics is an essential factor of our society. Studying this subject in university will equip me with the knowledge to understand the economy thoroughly. "

Hopefully these examples will inspire you to write your own introduction for your economics statement that will grab the reader's attention and make the admissions tutors want to offer you a place on their course.

How do I write a conclusion for my economics personal statement?

Your conclusion should encompass where you hope your economics degree to take you, and what you hope to achieve in the future. This might include your career ambitions, or moving on to a postgraduate course to further enhance your education.

You may also wish to reiterate why are enthusiastic about applying for an economics degree, and why you think you will be a good student for this particular course.

Don't round off your statement with something vague, or by repeating something you've already mentioned elsewhere in your UCAS application. You only have 47 lines of space in which to sell yourself to the admissions tutors, so don't waste it!

Economics personal statement conclusion example

To help you write your concluding paragrapgh, take a look at this example below, where the writer talks about using the knowledge they will gain in real life situations, and how they enjoy learning about the effects of economics on a daily basis:

"I am very passionate about studying economics because I look forward to developing my current knowledge, and applying it to real life situations. I believe my desire to keep in touch with today’s economics is what will allow me to thrive in higher education."

This writer chooses to talk about applying for a Masters program once they complete their degree, and taking up internships during their summer break to gain more work experience:

"My aspirations upon graduation from University would be to advance my studies in a similarly themed Masters program or work in international development. I plan on taking internships throughout the summer breaks to gain more work experience and help me fund my student lifestyle. I am looking forward to learning and developing in various economic subjects and am excited about the opportunities that I’ll have both as a student and once I graduate."

Hopefully these two examples will help you write your own conclusion for your economics personal statement, and round it off in a way that will make it stand out from the crowd.

For more help and advice on what to write in your economics personal statement, please see:

Personal Statement Editing Services
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The 15th January UCAS Deadline: 4 Ways To Avoid Missing It
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What To Do If You Miss The 15th January UCAS Deadline.

What can I do with an economics degree?

There are many different options for those choosing to pursue an economics degree. These include:

business analyst
financial consultant
investment analyst .

However, there are also many other career paths where an economics degree could be useful, such as:

data scientist
economic development officer
quantity surveyor .

For more advice on what you can do with your economics degree, please visit TopUniversities and Prospects .

What are the best UK universities for economics?

Currently, the best UK universities to study economics at for 2023 are:

For more information on UK university rankings for economics, please see The Complete University Guide and The Telegraph.

Further resources

For more information and advice on economics degrees and careers, please see the following:

9 Economics Degree Jobs
Careers in Economics - LSE
10 Jobs for Graduates With An Economics Degree
What jobs can you get with an Economics degree in the UK?
Economics - Career Pilot
What to do with an Economics degree - Bright Network

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Great Economics Essay Topics for Deeper Insight and Understanding

Table of contents

1 Economic History Topics
2 Macro and Microeconomics Essay Topics
3 Healthcare Economics Essay Topics
4 Socio-Economic Analysis Essay Topics
5 Consumerism-Related Topics for Research Papers
6 Public Economic Development Essay Topics
7 Topics for Finance Economic Paper
8 Essay Topics about Taxes
9 Economic Analysis on Human Development Paper Topic Ideas
10 Labor and Economic Growth Essay Topics
11 Essay Topics on the Economic Theory of Employment
12 Conclusion

If you have difficulties coming up with a topic for your writing – paper writing service is here for you. In the process of studying, you will often encounter the need to write an economics essay in various fields. Among the variety of economics research directions and a wide range of problems to study, it is sometimes difficult to formulate the research topic when writing essays. In this article, we will consider the most relevant and interesting essay topics for study.

Economic History Topics

The study of economic history implies a detailed consideration of the very phenomenon of science. With the help of historical and statistical methods, you have to study the links between modern economies and historical events, the economic marvel that affected the course of global economic development.

The Industrial Revolution: Analyzing the Economic and Social Transformations of the 19th Century.
The Great Depression: Understanding the Causes and Consequences of the Economic Crisis of the 1930s.
Examining the Costs and Benefits of Military Conflict on National Economies.
The Rise and Fall of Communism: Analyzing the Economic and Political Implications of Socialist Systems.
Understanding the Economic Impacts of Increasing International Trade and Investment.
Examining the Impacts of Imperialism on Economic Development.
Evolution of Currency and Monetary Systems.
The Origins of Capitalism: Understanding the Economic and Social Forces that Shaped Modern Markets.
Economic and Agricultural Impacts of Technological Innovations in Farming.

Macro and Microeconomics Essay Topics

Let’s look at the broadest scientific field for economics research. The subject of studies of Macroeconomics is the global economy. It examines the economic data of entire countries and unions, studying international economics. While Microeconomics explores the individual level in the context of an enterprise, small and medium businesses. It also discovers such components of the market as international trade, stock market, microeconomics of migration industrial organization microeconomics.

Fiscal and Monetary Policy: The Role of Government in Influencing the Economy through Tax Policies and Monetary Policy.
International Trade: The Impact of Globalization on the Economy, Including the Effects of Tariffs, Trade Agreements, and Currency Exchange Rates.
Business Cycles: The Natural Fluctuations of the Economy and the Causes and Consequences of Booms and Busts.
Inflation and Deflation: The Impact of Changes in the Price Level of Goods and Services on the Economy and Its Consumers.
The Factors That Contribute to the Long-Term Growth of an Economy and the Importance of Investment, Innovation, and Productivity.
The Distribution of Wealth and Income in an Economy and the Impact of Policies Aimed At Reducing Income Inequality.
The Role of Banks, Stock Markets, and Other Financial Institutions in the Economy and the Impact of Financial Crises.
The Impact of Government Debt on Economic Growth.
Exploring the Functions and Policies of Central Banks and Their Impact on the Economy.
Primary Economic Endeavors of the Geographic Area Colonies Lumber
Macroeconomic Effects of International Capital Flows.
Theories of Economic Growth: Analyzing Different Theories of Economic Growth, Including Endogenous Growth Theory and Neoclassical Growth Theory.
Exploring Methods and Techniques for Forecasting Key Economic Variables Such as GDP, Inflation, and Employment.
Examining the Different Types of Market Failures, Including Externalities, Public Goods, and Monopolies, and Exploring Different Policy Approaches for Addressing Market Failures.
Investigating How Firms Produce Goods and Services and Exploring How Production Costs Impact Market Outcomes.
Analyzing the Conditions Necessary for Perfect Competition and Exploring the Implications for Market Outcomes.
The Economics of Oligopoly: Examining the Behavior of Firms in Oligopoly Markets and Exploring the Impact on Market Outcomes.
The Future of Work: Microeconomic Impacts of Automation and Artificial Intelligence.
The Economics of Education: Analyzing the Costs and Benefits of Higher Learning.
The Effects of Macroeconomics on the Housing Market.

Healthcare Economics Essay Topics

Healthcare economics is based on the study of factors affecting the cost of the industry as well as pricing policy depending on the current spending. This implies the economic research of complicated healthcare systems with the aim of financial analysis. You can choose to analyze patient satisfaction economics, international criminal justice, sports economics, and talent economics as important healthcare issues.

The Rising Cost of Healthcare: Analyzing the Impact of Inflation and Technology.
Examining the Economic Benefits and Challenges of Single-Payer Systems.
Understanding the Economics Behind the Cost of Prescription Drugs.
Health Insurance Markets: Analyzing the Role of Competition and Regulation.
Healthcare Workforce: Examining the Economics of Physician Shortages and Nurse Staffing.
The Economics of Medical Innovation: Balancing Costs and Benefits.
The Role of Prevention in Healthcare Economics: Cost Savings and Quality of Life.
Examining the Costs and Benefits of Investing in Behavioral Health Services.
The Economics of Happiness: Measuring the Relationship Between Income and Well-Being.

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Socio-Economic Analysis Essay Topics

Socio economic essay topics revolve around the analysis of key economic features, the causes and consequences of financial decisions, and their significance for society. The ultimate goal of economics research is to evaluate the social and economic impact and to detect malicious features that can undermine a nation’s economic stability.

Social and Economic Impacts of Unequal Distribution of Wealth.
Socio-Economic Implications of Independent Work and Flexible Labor Arrangements.
Analyzing the Impacts of Migration on Social and Economic Outcomes.
The Sociology of Poverty: Understanding the Causes and Consequences of Economic Deprivation.
Social Entrepreneurship: Examining the Role of Business in Addressing Societal Challenges and Inequalities.
Understanding the Social and Economic Implications of an Aging Population.
Examining the Socio-Economic Differences Between Rural and Urban Areas.
The Impact of Migrant Remittance on Economic Development .

Consumerism-Related Topics for Research Papers

This branch of economics research studies consumer behavior trends, namely the impact of personal economics on the common good. For example, some scientists believe that increased consumption has a positive effect on production trends. While other experts believe that such inequalities are unacceptable and adhere to the economic policy of sustainable development. A sustainable economy has recently become the center of scientific concern and a vast amount of economic essay topics.

The Psychology of Consumerism: Understanding the Emotional Drivers Behind Shopping Habits.
Sustainable Consumerism: Examining the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Ethical Consumption.
Analyzing the Influence of Marketing on Purchasing Decisions.
Examining the Economic Costs and Social Consequences of Overconsumption.
The Economics of Branding: Understanding the Value of Brand Names and Logos.
The Sharing Economy: Analyzing the Economic Impacts of Collaborative Consumption.
The Rise of E-commerce: Examining the Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping.
The Consumer Society: Analyzing the Role of Materialism in Modern Culture.
The Future of Consumerism: Exploring Emerging Trends and Their Economic Implications.

Public Economic Development Essay Topics

If you’re choosing public development as your economics essay subject, you should include an economic evaluation of basic concepts that are related to social welfare. This area may include the city’s economy comparative analysis as a part of urban economics, law enforcement studies, and many other social domains.

Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth: Analyzing the Role of Government Spending and Taxation.
Public Debt and Deficits: Examining the Economic Impacts of Government Borrowing.
Taxation and Social Welfare: Balancing Economic Efficiency and Equity.
The Economics of Government Procurement: Analyzing the Costs and Benefits of Public Contracting.
The Economics of Healthcare Financing: Understanding the Costs and Benefits of Different Payment Systems.
Municipal Finance: Analyzing the Economics of Local Government Budgeting and Expenditure.
Sovereign Debt Crises: Analyzing the Economic Implications of Debt Defaults and Restructurings.

Topics for Finance Economic Paper

Your economics essay in financial management is going to revolve around the system of planning and apportionment of funds in markets. You can choose anything from urban finance and aggregate economics to critical analysis of foreign direct investment in inter international economy.

The Future of Fintech: Exploring Emerging Trends and their Financial Implications.
Examining the Economic Impacts of Government Oversight and Policy.
Investment Banking: Analyzing the Economics of Securities Underwriting and Capital Raising.
The Economics of Real Estate Investment: Understanding Property Markets and Valuations.
Risk Management: Examining the Economics of Hedging Strategies and Portfolio Diversification.
Financial Markets and Globalization: Analyzing the Economic Implications of International Capital Flows.
The Economics of Venture Capital: Understanding the Role of Risk Capital in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Essay Topics about Taxes

Economic essay topics about taxes imply a comparative analysis of different taxation systems. Research on this topic will concern not only the tax system itself but also the study of bypass schemes, offshore zones, and other tricks. One example of intriguing economics topics is the study of the detrimental effects of taxes on ecology, as the problems of environmental protection remain unresolved.

Examining the Relationship between Government Revenue and Entrepreneurship.
The Costs and Benefits of Different Tax Systems.
The Ethics of Taxation: Analyzing the Social and Economic Implications of Taxation on Income Distribution.
Understanding the Economics of Offshore Tax Evasion and Avoidance.
The History of Taxation: Examining the Evolution of Taxation Systems from Ancient Times to the Present.
The Economic Impacts of Taxes on Carbon Emissions and Pollution.
Impacts of Sales Tax and Value-Added Tax on Consumer Behavior.

Economic Analysis on Human Development Paper Topic Ideas

Human development centers on the role of the public in economic convergence. You are supposed to concentrate on critical analysis of the progress of humanity, the level of life in developed and developing countries, track of economic behavior that leads to rapid economic growth, as well as the correct usage of scarce resources for general well-being.

The Role of Gender Equality in Economic and Social Progress.
Analyzing the Measurement and Evolution of Global Human Development.
Understanding the Cognitive and Emotional Factors that Shape Human Growth.
Analyzing the Role of Government Policies in Promoting Human Well-being.
Supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment in Fragile States .
The Relationship between Health Outcomes and Economic and Social Progress.
Positive and Negative Impacts of Technological Advances on Human Progress.
Exploring Emerging Trends and Challenges in Promoting Sustainable Human Development.

Labor and Economic Growth Essay Topics

Labor economics essay topics involve analysis of the labor force as an integral part of production. Among the topic ideas, you can study such economic problems as the correlation between population growth and surplus labor force in developing nations.

Economic Impacts of Freelance Work and Contingent Labor.
Impacts of Immigration on Labor Markets and Economic Growth.
Understanding the Factors that Contribute to Pay Disparities between Men and Women.
The Role of Unions in the Labor Market.
Examining the Economic Impacts of Minimum Wage Laws on Employment and Wages.
Labor Mobility: Understanding the Impacts of Labor Migration on Regional and National Labor Markets.
The Economics of Discrimination: Impacts of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender on Labor Market Outcomes.
Technological and Demographic Change on the Labor Market.

Essay Topics on the Economic Theory of Employment

Economics topics that consider the theory of employment study the decisions in the field of the labor force. In the coursework of research, you may study the services that individuals provide, the benefits of a cashless economy and its payment methods, and which role statistical data play in fulfilling the labor market needs.

Analyzing the Impacts of Technological and Demographic Changes on Employment.
Factors that Contribute to Employment Growth.
Economic Benefits in Attracting and Retaining Employees.
Examining the Economic Impacts of Employment Policies and Programs.
Understanding the Impacts of Workplace Environment and Culture on Employee Performance.
Impacts of Aging Populations and Retirement Trends on the Labor Market.
Capitalism and the Use of Disaster to Increase Economic Power .

Whatever topic you choose for your economics research, make sure it is within your field of interest. Scientific work always goes smoothly when you are motivated to bring newness to the underlying concepts. We wish you good luck with this difficult choice, as all economics essay topics are fascinating, and your task as a research paper writer is to bring your individual perspective to science.

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Source: Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman • Note: Tax rates shown include levies paid at all levels of government. Government transfers such as Social Security benefits have not been subtracted.

In the 1960s, the 400 richest Americans paid more than half of their income in taxes. Higher tax rates for the wealthy kept inequality in check and helped fund the creation of social safety nets like Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps.

Today, the superrich control a greater share of America’s wealth than during the Gilded Age of Carnegies and Rockefellers. That's partly because taxes on the wealthy have cratered. In 2018, America's top billionaires paid just 23 percent of their income in taxes.

For the first time in the history of the United States, billionaires had a lower effective tax rate than working-class Americans.

Guest Essay

It’s Time to Tax the Billionaires

By Gabriel Zucman

Gabriel Zucman is an economist at the Paris School of Economics and the University of California, Berkeley.

Until recently, it was hard to know just how good the superrich are at avoiding taxes. Public statistics are oddly quiet about their contributions to government coffers, a topic of legitimate interest in democratic societies.

Over the past few years, I and other scholars have published studies and books attempting to fix that problem. While we still have data for only a handful of countries, we’ve found that the ultrawealthy consistently avoid paying their fair share in taxes. In the Netherlands, for instance, the average taxpayer in 2016 gave 45 percent of earnings to the government, while billionaires paid just 17 percent.

Billionaires avoid taxes outside

the United States, too

United States

Netherlands

Lower earners

0-50th percentile

Middle earners

51-90th percentile

High earners

90-99.99th percentile

Billionaires

Billionaires avoid taxes outside the United States, too

50% total tax rate

Sources: Demetrio Guzzardi, et al., Journal of the European Economic Association; Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman; Institut des Politiques Publiques; Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis

Note: Data is from 2015 for Italy; 2016 for the Netherlands and France; 2018 for the United States.

Why do the world’s most fortunate people pay among the least in taxes, relative to the amount of money they make?

The simple answer is that while most of us live off our salaries, tycoons like Jeff Bezos live off their wealth. In 2019, when Mr. Bezos was still Amazon’s chief executive, he took home an annual salary of just $81,840 . But he owns roughly 10 percent of the company , which made a profit of $30 billion in 2023.

If Amazon gave its profits back to shareholders as dividends, which are subject to income tax, Mr. Bezos would face a hefty tax bill. But Amazon does not pay dividends to its shareholders. Neither does Berkshire Hathaway or Tesla. Instead, the companies keep their profits and reinvest them, making their shareholders even wealthier.

Unless Mr. Bezos, Warren Buffett or Elon Musk sell their stock, their taxable income is relatively minuscule. But they can still make eye-popping purchases by borrowing against their assets. Mr. Musk, for example, used his shares in Tesla as collateral to rustle up around $13 billion in tax-free loans to put toward his acquisition of Twitter.

Jeff Bezos arriving for a news conference after flying into space in the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket on July 20, 2021.

Getty Images

Outside the United States, avoiding taxation can be even easier.

Take Bernard Arnault, the wealthiest person in the world. Mr. Arnault’s shares in LVMH, the luxury goods conglomerate, officially belong to holding companies that he controls. In 2023, Mr. Arnault’s holdings received about $3 billion in dividends from LVMH. France — like other European countries — barely taxes these dividends, because on paper they are received by companies. Yet Mr. Arnault can spend the money almost as if it were deposited directly into his bank account, so long as he works through other incorporated entities — on philanthropy , for instance, or to keep his megayacht afloat or to buy more companies .

Historically, the rich had to pay hefty taxes on corporate profits, the main source of their income. And the wealth they passed on to their heirs was subject to the estate tax. But both taxes have been gutted in recent decades. In 2018, the United States cut its maximum corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent. And the estate tax has almost disappeared in America. Relative to the wealth of U.S. households, it generates only a quarter of the tax revenues it raised in the 1970s.

The falling U.S. corporate tax rate

Reagan tax cuts

Trump tax cuts

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Note: Tax rates are for each year’s highest corporate income bracket.

So what should be done?

One obstacle to taxing the very rich is the risk they may move to low-tax countries. In Europe, some billionaires who built their fortune in France, Sweden or Germany have established residency in Switzerland , where they pay a fraction of what they would owe in their home country. Although few of the ultrawealthy actually move their homes , the possibility that they might has been a boogeyman for would-be tax reformers.

There is a way to make tax dodging less attractive: a global minimum tax. In 2021, more than 130 countries agreed to apply a minimum tax rate of 15 percent on the profits of large multinational companies. So no matter where a company parks its profits, it still has to pay at least a baseline amount of tax under the agreement.

In February, I was invited to a meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers to present a proposal for another coordinated minimum tax — this one not on corporations, but on billionaires. The idea is simple. Let’s agree that billionaires should pay income taxes equivalent to a small portion — say, 2 percent — of their wealth each year. Someone like Bernard Arnault, who is worth about $210 billion, would have to pay an additional tax equal to roughly $4.2 billion if he pays no income tax. In total, the proposal would allow countries to collect an estimated $250 billion in additional tax revenue per year, which is even more than what the global minimum tax on corporations is expected to add.

Bernard Arnault watching the men’s singles final at the French Open on June 8, 2014.

Abaca Press

Critics might say that this is a wealth tax, the constitutionality of which is debated in the United States. In reality, the proposal stays firmly in the realm of income taxation. Billionaires who already pay the baseline amount of income tax would have no extra tax to pay. The goal is that only those who dial down their income to dodge the income tax would be affected.

Critics also claim that a minimum tax would be too hard to apply because wealth is difficult to value. This fear is overblown. According to my research, about 60 percent of U.S. billionaires’ wealth is in stocks of publicly traded companies. The rest is mostly ownership stakes in private businesses, which can be assigned a monetary value by looking at how the market values similar firms.

One challenge to making a minimum tax work is ensuring broad participation. In the multinational minimum tax agreement, participating countries are allowed to overtax companies from nations that haven’t signed on. This incentivizes every country to join the agreement. The same mechanism should be used for billionaires. For example, if Switzerland refuses to tax the superrich who live there, other countries could tax them on its behalf.

We are already seeing some movement on the issue. Countries such as Brazil, which is chairing the Group of 20 summit this year and has shown extraordinary leadership on the issue, and France , Germany, South Africa and Spain have recently expressed support for a minimum tax on billionaires. In the United States, President Biden has proposed a billionaire tax that shares the same objectives.

To be clear, this proposal wouldn’t increase taxes for doctors, lawyers, small-business owners or the rest of the world’s upper middle class. I’m talking about asking a very small number of stratospherically wealthy individuals — about 3,000 people — to give a relatively tiny bit of their profits back to the governments that fund their employees’ educations and health care and allow their businesses to operate and thrive.

The idea that billionaires should pay a minimum amount of income tax is not a radical idea. What is radical is continuing to allow the wealthiest people in the world to pay a smaller percentage in income tax than nearly everybody else. In liberal democracies, a wave of political sentiment is building, focused on rooting out the inequality that corrodes societies. A coordinated minimum tax on the superrich will not fix capitalism. But it is a necessary first step.

More on tax evasion and inequality

This Is Tax Evasion, Plain and Simple

By Gabriel Zucman and Gus Wezerek

The Tax Pirates Are Us

By Binyamin Appelbaum

How to Tax Our Way Back to Justice

By Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Gabriel Zucman is an economist at the Paris School of Economics and the University of California, Berkeley, and a co-author of “The Triumph of Injustice: How the Rich Dodge Taxes and How to Make Them Pay.”

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