This essay describes the economic political cycles in the United States over the last 50 years in reference to Democratic and Republican parties

Essay by jncbmx516University, Bachelor'sA+, November 2003

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This paper will study the effects of Presidential regimes from 1959 onwards. It well use the partisan theory and show the correlation between left wing (democratic) parties and low unemployment rates, as well as the correlation between right wing (republican) parties and low inflation rates. This correlation will help show the effects of different presidential regimes on the U.S. economy. I believe that the partisan model will hold true and that during republican presidencies we will see a low or decreasing level of inflation, and during democratic presidencies we will see a low or decreasing level of unemployment In this paper we will analyze the presidential regimes from 1959 onwards, and by using the partisan model, we will show that democratic presidents have a trend towards keeping unemployment low and that republicans have a preference towards keeping inflation low or closer to its natural rate.

Although we do not observe a systematic surge in growth output in election years, this does not imply that economic conditions are not an important determinant of election results.

The characteristics of their political cycle depends on the nature of the party system, thus the partisan model will provide a better way of looking at the U.S. political business cycle. The partisan model is more clearly identifiable in governments with a two party system. We can make two basic assumptions:

1) Inflation is usually higher when the left wing presidents are in office, in comparison to when a right wing president is in office.

2) Short-run effects of a partisan model are that unemployment is temporarily below normal and economic growth temporarily higher than normal when a left wing party is in office. The opposite will occur when a right wing party is in office.

Inflation may be the result of government spending programs that...