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International

International

What is Washington Consensus-old and new?

15 Jul 2023 Zinkpot 196
  1. The original Washington Consensus refers to a set of free market economic policies supported by prominent financial institutions such as International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the US Treasury and the EU.
  2. These policies were centred on deregulation, privatisation and free trade as a pathway for economic modernization.
  3. They also entailed fiscal and monetary policy, which were intended to minimise fiscal deficit and public spending.
  4. The key was ‘free trade’ without tariffs and other barriers, free flow of capital and minimal regulation - a model that specifically benefits the hegemonic position of the US.
  5. Aim: To advocate free trade, floating exchange rates, free markets and macroeconomic stability and to determine policy towards economic development in Latin America, South East Asia and other countries.
  6. Recently, the US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan outlined the international economic policy of the US administration, which he explained to be the new Washington consensus. 
  7. What was the need of the new Washington Consensus?
  8. The ‘market knows best’ approach of the prior consensus led to the issues in the US industrial base. Because of oversimplified market efficiency, entire supply chains of strategic goods, along with the industries and jobs that made them, moved overseas.
  9. Extreme trade liberalisation helped United States export goods, not jobs and capacity.
  10. Their saying ‘all growth was good growth’ led to the privileging of some sectors like finance, while other essential sectors like semiconductors and infrastructure took a real hit.
  11. The assumption that economic integration would make nations more responsible, open and peaceful, proved to be false. For instance, China’s integration into the WTO did not inhibit its military ambitions in its region.
  12. New Washington Consensus: The key highlights of this five-fold policy framework are:
    1. Return to industrial policy, which was the hallmark of US economic development.
    2. A commitment to not seeking autarky or promoting protectionism, but developing joint efforts with US allies and partners, including India.
    3. Mobilisation of investment into emerging economies, offering an alternative to China’s BRI, addressing the global debt crisis and reforming multilateral development banks.
    4. Development of a new set of export controls on sensitive technology to limit national security threats.
    5. Working towards diversified and resilient supply chains, promoting a clean energy transition and ensuring trust in the global digital economy.
       

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