Macroeconomic Monitor
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Society

Is Malthus returning?

Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) was an English economist whose name is associated with an influential theory. He argued that if there are no limitations on resources, population increases in geometric progression. The doubling period is 25 years. Over the same period, food supplies increase in arithmetic progression. This results in a severe …

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Diseases, wars and speculation - the historical experience of Bulgaria

In recent days, Bulgarian politicians have, with surprising consensus, declared open war on the invisible enemy Covid-19. Measures have been and are being taken that are akin to martial law. Forgotten practices such as curfews, total control over behavior, control over freedom of speech, restrictions disproportionate to the danger, and attacks on private …

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Building regulations and municipal foreclosure lead to impoverishment of capital residents

Over the past few years, a special fetish for limiting the amount of construction has begun to form among the capital's residents. In a panic about the "overdevelopment" of the city's squares, many people began to demand that the municipality impose more restrictive regulations on construction in Sofia and to vote for all local political candidates, ...

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The expansion of the green zone in Sofia - issues from a public discussion

Author: Momchil Yakimov On December 16, 2019, I attended the public discussion on expanding the green parking area in the Ivan Vazov residential area, Triaditsa district. At the same time, the media was discussing the increase in vehicle tax in Sofia by an average of 20 leva per car, which was later voted on …

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The failure of green socialism in East Germany

Socialism, unlike capitalism, causes severe damage to the environment. To give a clear example of this, but also to avoid the subjective factor of domestic reality before and after 1989, let's look at what the situation was in East Germany (GDR) compared to West Germany (FRG). In 1968 …

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Attitude towards taxes after Liberation

Author: Georgi Georgiev The topic of the forcible seizure of property in the form of various taxes and levies is key to libertarianism (“taxes are theft”). If we take into account the skeptical attitude towards the way tax revenues are spent by most modern Bulgarians and the actions aimed at avoiding taxation, then the majority …

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The State vs. "Tsar" Pencho: Monetary History Before the Liberation

Author: Hristiyan Atanasov Money has always attracted attention. Everyone wants to own it, control it, and especially have the right to produce it. Having arisen spontaneously to facilitate market exchange, it quickly becomes the darling of the political authorities, which try to monopolize it. The reason is more than clear…

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Infographic: The benefits of introducing a congestion charge

A year ago, we published the report "Urban Planning Policy in Sofia: Recommendations for Reform", in which we proposed the introduction of a "Congestion" fee as a measure to address traffic problems in the capital. Simply put, a congestion fee is a fee that all cars must pay to enter the busiest city areas, especially in ...

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