by Donald P. Green
While conventional wisdom has been that hate crimes in the United States rise with a declining economy, an analysis of hate crime in New York City from 1987 to 1995 has found little evidence linking racial, religious, ethnic, or homophobic incidents to deteriorating economic conditions. Political scientists Donald P. Green, Ph.D., and Andrew Rich, of Yale University, and psychologist Jack Glaser, also of Yale University, conducted the research, which is published in the July issue of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
In determining whether economic downturns precipitate a greater incidence of hate crimes, the authors assembled monthly hate crime statistics compiled by the New York Police Department for the boroughs of Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx and compared them with monthly unemployment rates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. They defined hate crimes as "unlawful acts of violence, vandalism, harassment, and intimidation directed against victims on account of their putative race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation." Links between unemployment rates and hate crime were examined separately for Black, Asian, Latino, gay/lesbian, Jewish, and White victim groups. In no case was there a statistical link between economic fluctuations and rates of hate crime, nor were such links found when the authors analyzed historical statistics relating cotton prices to the lynching of Blacks in the South prior to World War II.
The researchers offer two reasons that may explain why economic downturns do not lead to increases in hate crimes. The authors note that laboratory tests indicate that the effects of frustration and aggression dissipate dramatically over time. Absent an immediate target, they speculate that aggression bred by frustration may weaken before an attack occurs. The authors also point out that lynching and contemporary hate crimes tend to be group activities that require more coordination and persistence than individual acts of violence such as domestic violence. The decay of aggressive impulses may explain why economic declines coincide with increases in child abuse but not with hate crime.
Another reason why economic downturns over the past decade have not led to increased hate crimes is historical in nature. The researchers point out that political elite and organizations (such as the Ku Klux Klan) play a mediating role by attributing blame and eliciting public resentment toward minority groups in times of financial decline. The authors conclude that the relationship between economic discontent and inter-group aggression may hinge on the ways in which political leaders and organizations frame and mobilize economic grievances and societal discontent.
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Saturday, 26 July 2008
Britain 'Heading For Recession'
The British economy is heading into recession, according to a member of the Bank of England committee which sets interest rates.
David Blanchflower, who sits on the Monetary Policy Committee, also warned that recent job losses could be "the tip of the iceberg".
In an interview in the Guardian newspaper, he said: "I think we are going into recession and we are probably in one right now."
He added: "We will probably have three or four quarters of negative growth, but the risks are to the downside.
"It's not too late to stop it, but we have to act right now. Monetary policy has been far too tight for too long. We can't just sit and do nothing as we have done for too long."
Mr Blanchflower, who lives in the US, was the sole committee member calling for a cut in interest rates in May and June.
But the Bank of England has held interest rates at 5% for the last three months after cutting them in April.
Minutes of this month's meeting will be published on Wednesday, but the academic economist seems certain to have repeated his call for lower rates.
Sky's business correspondent Joel Hills said: "If his forecasts are true, it would mean this recession, if it is one, would turn out to be worst than the five full-blown post-war recessions that we have seen, the last being in 1991.
Hills added: "This is all pretty gloomy stuff. However, bear in mind that he has been a lone voice on the panel for some time.
"He has been at odds with the prevailing consensus of the committee, which has been that the big problem isn't the slowing economy, it's rising prices."
Mr Blanchflower also said that house prices in Britain could fall by as much as a third and that the British economy could be facing a worse ride than even the US.
David Blanchflower, who sits on the Monetary Policy Committee, also warned that recent job losses could be "the tip of the iceberg".
In an interview in the Guardian newspaper, he said: "I think we are going into recession and we are probably in one right now."
He added: "We will probably have three or four quarters of negative growth, but the risks are to the downside.
"It's not too late to stop it, but we have to act right now. Monetary policy has been far too tight for too long. We can't just sit and do nothing as we have done for too long."
Mr Blanchflower, who lives in the US, was the sole committee member calling for a cut in interest rates in May and June.
But the Bank of England has held interest rates at 5% for the last three months after cutting them in April.
Minutes of this month's meeting will be published on Wednesday, but the academic economist seems certain to have repeated his call for lower rates.
Sky's business correspondent Joel Hills said: "If his forecasts are true, it would mean this recession, if it is one, would turn out to be worst than the five full-blown post-war recessions that we have seen, the last being in 1991.
Hills added: "This is all pretty gloomy stuff. However, bear in mind that he has been a lone voice on the panel for some time.
"He has been at odds with the prevailing consensus of the committee, which has been that the big problem isn't the slowing economy, it's rising prices."
Mr Blanchflower also said that house prices in Britain could fall by as much as a third and that the British economy could be facing a worse ride than even the US.
Poll adds to woes over Brown future
LONDON (Reuters) - Speculation about Prime Minister Gordon Brown's future gathered pace on Saturday with media reports of concern amongst senior Labour figures and a new opinion poll putting the Conservatives 22 points ahead.
Ministers have openly spoken of their support for the embattled prime minister but a day after Labour lost one of its safest parliamentary seats, newspapers were rife with rumours of backbenchers were sharpening their knives behind the scenes.
The Guardian newspaper said that discussions were under way at cabinet level on whether to seek Brown's "orderly resignation" while the Independent said Labour MPs were urging senior ministers to tell Brown to quit.
"I do not recognise those comments from the Cabinet colleagues I talk to," Cabinet Office minister Ed Miliband told BBC's Newsnight programme when asked about the claims.
"People realise there is a big collective responsibility here -- the collective responsibility is not to turn inwards but to turn outwards and understand the concerns of the country."
The BBC also reported that Justice Secretary Jack Straw, who papers said had been approached by Labour backbench MPs to tell Brown to step down, had told them to "calm down".
The speculation has grown since the Scottish National Party (SNP) snatched a slim 365-vote majority in the Glasgow East constituency with a 22.5 percent swing that overturned the 13,500 majority enjoyed by Labour at the 2005 election.
In further bad news, an opinion poll for the Independent on Saturday showed the Conservatives with 46 percent support of voters, way ahead of Labour on 24 percent.
That would give the Tories a landslide victory at the next general election, which Brown must call by May 2010.
This weekend the party's main policy-making forum is meeting to try to work out how to win back voters disillusioned by a string of political gaffes, rising inflation, falling house prices and a slowing economy.
Brown, whose popularity has slumped in the 13 months since he replaced Tony Blair, has vowed to fight on, saying he is the right man to be at the helm as the country deals with difficult worldwide economic problems.
Former minister David Blunkett backed that stance.
"The issues that affect people are not ones which divide the party or Gordon Brown from any potential successor," he told BBC radio.
"We are not a hatchet job party like the Conservatives who can drop their leader literally at the drop of a hat.
"So grow up, don't go for what might be a popular quick fix that you couldn't actually put in place and let's actually combine in the way we know best and work out what will actually reach people."
Ministers have openly spoken of their support for the embattled prime minister but a day after Labour lost one of its safest parliamentary seats, newspapers were rife with rumours of backbenchers were sharpening their knives behind the scenes.
The Guardian newspaper said that discussions were under way at cabinet level on whether to seek Brown's "orderly resignation" while the Independent said Labour MPs were urging senior ministers to tell Brown to quit.
"I do not recognise those comments from the Cabinet colleagues I talk to," Cabinet Office minister Ed Miliband told BBC's Newsnight programme when asked about the claims.
"People realise there is a big collective responsibility here -- the collective responsibility is not to turn inwards but to turn outwards and understand the concerns of the country."
The BBC also reported that Justice Secretary Jack Straw, who papers said had been approached by Labour backbench MPs to tell Brown to step down, had told them to "calm down".
The speculation has grown since the Scottish National Party (SNP) snatched a slim 365-vote majority in the Glasgow East constituency with a 22.5 percent swing that overturned the 13,500 majority enjoyed by Labour at the 2005 election.
In further bad news, an opinion poll for the Independent on Saturday showed the Conservatives with 46 percent support of voters, way ahead of Labour on 24 percent.
That would give the Tories a landslide victory at the next general election, which Brown must call by May 2010.
This weekend the party's main policy-making forum is meeting to try to work out how to win back voters disillusioned by a string of political gaffes, rising inflation, falling house prices and a slowing economy.
Brown, whose popularity has slumped in the 13 months since he replaced Tony Blair, has vowed to fight on, saying he is the right man to be at the helm as the country deals with difficult worldwide economic problems.
Former minister David Blunkett backed that stance.
"The issues that affect people are not ones which divide the party or Gordon Brown from any potential successor," he told BBC radio.
"We are not a hatchet job party like the Conservatives who can drop their leader literally at the drop of a hat.
"So grow up, don't go for what might be a popular quick fix that you couldn't actually put in place and let's actually combine in the way we know best and work out what will actually reach people."
Obama defends foreign tour as visit closes
LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama, wrapping up a tour abroad where he got a rock star reception, defended on Saturday his decision to take the trip despite signs it has not helped to boost his popularity at home.
"I am convinced that many of the issues we face at home are not going to be solved as effectively unless we have strong partners abroad," he told reporters in London after meeting Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
"This was important for me not only to try to highlight or amplify how the international situation affects our economy back home but also hopefully to give people at home but also leaders abroad some sense of where an Obama administration might take our foreign policy."
Obama said he had a "terrific conversation" with Brown on a range of topics including the Middle East, climate change, terrorism and financial markets.
The two men chatted on the patio of 10 Downing Street and took a brief walk together in a tourist area nearby.
On earlier legs of his trip, Obama drew a crowd of 200,000 people in Berlin and elicited effusive praise from French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in Paris.
But the reaction from U.S. voters, whom Obama acknowledges are worried about gas prices and home foreclosures, has been mixed.
"I'm not sure that there's going to be some immediate political impact," he said. "I wouldn't even be surprised that in some polls you saw a little bit of a dip as a consequence -- we've been out of the country for a week."
PROTOCOL RESPECTED
Earlier Obama had breakfast with Brown's predecessor as prime minister, Tony Blair, now a Middle East peace envoy. Their talks focused on the Middle East and climate change, Blair's office said in a statement.
Obama, who faces Republican John McCain in the November 4 U.S. election, aims to burnish his foreign policy credentials through his overseas trip and counter McCain's criticism that he lacks experience.
Obama's early opposition to the Iraq war accounts for part of his appeal with the European public. He has called for a refocusing of U.S. efforts on Afghanistan and an end to the Iraq war. He also wants Europe to contribute more in Afghanistan.
Brown followed protocol to ensure he did not appear to be favouring a particular candidate in the race between Obama and McCain.
There was no handshake between Brown and Obama at the front door of Downing Street, as would take place with a visiting head of government, and did not hold a joint news conference.
Obama was later to meet opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron, whose party enjoys a strong lead over Brown's Labour Party in opinion polls.
"I am convinced that many of the issues we face at home are not going to be solved as effectively unless we have strong partners abroad," he told reporters in London after meeting Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
"This was important for me not only to try to highlight or amplify how the international situation affects our economy back home but also hopefully to give people at home but also leaders abroad some sense of where an Obama administration might take our foreign policy."
Obama said he had a "terrific conversation" with Brown on a range of topics including the Middle East, climate change, terrorism and financial markets.
The two men chatted on the patio of 10 Downing Street and took a brief walk together in a tourist area nearby.
On earlier legs of his trip, Obama drew a crowd of 200,000 people in Berlin and elicited effusive praise from French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in Paris.
But the reaction from U.S. voters, whom Obama acknowledges are worried about gas prices and home foreclosures, has been mixed.
"I'm not sure that there's going to be some immediate political impact," he said. "I wouldn't even be surprised that in some polls you saw a little bit of a dip as a consequence -- we've been out of the country for a week."
PROTOCOL RESPECTED
Earlier Obama had breakfast with Brown's predecessor as prime minister, Tony Blair, now a Middle East peace envoy. Their talks focused on the Middle East and climate change, Blair's office said in a statement.
Obama, who faces Republican John McCain in the November 4 U.S. election, aims to burnish his foreign policy credentials through his overseas trip and counter McCain's criticism that he lacks experience.
Obama's early opposition to the Iraq war accounts for part of his appeal with the European public. He has called for a refocusing of U.S. efforts on Afghanistan and an end to the Iraq war. He also wants Europe to contribute more in Afghanistan.
Brown followed protocol to ensure he did not appear to be favouring a particular candidate in the race between Obama and McCain.
There was no handshake between Brown and Obama at the front door of Downing Street, as would take place with a visiting head of government, and did not hold a joint news conference.
Obama was later to meet opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron, whose party enjoys a strong lead over Brown's Labour Party in opinion polls.
Thursday, 17 July 2008
The Dollar and the Gas Prices: by Susan Duey
One often wonders how today's economy affects the all might dollar. The truth is that most people have a hard decision to make about where to spend the dollar. The gas prices have risen above $4 a gallon leaving many people without other things they need to live. If you have $40 to spend on food, you could by a couple days worth of food, but if you spend that $40 on gas, you are going to get less than ten gallons of gas. If you have a car that gets twenty-two miles to the gallon, more than likely, your gas is not going to last longer than a week.
The economy has been impacted by gas prices as well as grain and wheat costs. If one would go to the bakery for bread and muffins, that same forty dollars would be short about $10 to $15 dollars. The credit crisis is affecting everyone. The average person does not make enough money to buy food, gas and pay bills with the way the economy is today. The price of gas and foods has gone up, but the pay scale has not budged. People are still making the same amount of money they were before all the price increases, which has placed a hardship on many families.
The decision you make about how to spend that $40 will affect the entire family. If you buy two gallons of gas, which will give you roughly 44 miles of driving and buy meals for a family of three for the day, that $40 dollars is gone and it probably was a little short. Frugal living is becoming more common as the prices go up. Going without certain things has become a way of life. Walking instead of driving is more common in smaller communities. Credit card payments and mortgages have to be paid. However, what do you make the family go without to pay the bills and buy food?
The economy needs help. The price of wire has gone up so much that companies cannot afford to make mattresses and sell them for a reasonable price. So now, that dollar has even less value. If you need a mattress, gas and food, you have to sacrifice something in order to have the things that you need to live every day. The value of the dollar does not mean much these days. In order to make the dollar more for its value, the prices of wire, gas and food products has to drop considerably. This probably is not going to happen.
The credit crisis is affecting everyone. Medical coverage is dropping and the cost to the consumer has risen. Today, it is hard for a family of three or four to live comfortable and have the necessities. Until the credit crisis levels off, one will only feel more pressure and see more homes and property lost. Hard times make it hard for hard working people to survive and have the things that they need.
The economy has been impacted by gas prices as well as grain and wheat costs. If one would go to the bakery for bread and muffins, that same forty dollars would be short about $10 to $15 dollars. The credit crisis is affecting everyone. The average person does not make enough money to buy food, gas and pay bills with the way the economy is today. The price of gas and foods has gone up, but the pay scale has not budged. People are still making the same amount of money they were before all the price increases, which has placed a hardship on many families.
The decision you make about how to spend that $40 will affect the entire family. If you buy two gallons of gas, which will give you roughly 44 miles of driving and buy meals for a family of three for the day, that $40 dollars is gone and it probably was a little short. Frugal living is becoming more common as the prices go up. Going without certain things has become a way of life. Walking instead of driving is more common in smaller communities. Credit card payments and mortgages have to be paid. However, what do you make the family go without to pay the bills and buy food?
The economy needs help. The price of wire has gone up so much that companies cannot afford to make mattresses and sell them for a reasonable price. So now, that dollar has even less value. If you need a mattress, gas and food, you have to sacrifice something in order to have the things that you need to live every day. The value of the dollar does not mean much these days. In order to make the dollar more for its value, the prices of wire, gas and food products has to drop considerably. This probably is not going to happen.
The credit crisis is affecting everyone. Medical coverage is dropping and the cost to the consumer has risen. Today, it is hard for a family of three or four to live comfortable and have the necessities. Until the credit crisis levels off, one will only feel more pressure and see more homes and property lost. Hard times make it hard for hard working people to survive and have the things that they need.
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