The Global Economy
We are thrilled to share the latest issue of Logical Economics, a termly publication designed and written by students, for students. This issue bridges the gap between complex economic theory and the real-world stories shaping our global landscape.
From the hidden mechanics of global trade to the shifting habits of Gen Z, our student authors dive deep into the data to provide fresh perspectives on the following topics:
Global Trends & Resilience
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The UK on the Rise: A look at growing foreign direct investment and confidence from the IMF and World Bank despite global trade tensions.
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The “Ukraine Tax”: How the conflict in Europe has created supply chain ripples affecting everything from the price of your morning latte to a pair of jeans.
Consumerism & Behavioural Shifts
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The Cost of Convenience: Exploring the market failures and environmental externalities—like urban congestion and CO2 emissions—hidden behind “next-day delivery”.
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Fitness vs. Nightlife: Analyzing the economic lifestyle shift as gym memberships surge and traditional nightlife venues face new demand pressures.
Economic Curiosities
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The Price Paradox: A deep dive into Giffen Goods—the rare instances where demand increases alongside price—and why they almost never exist in developed economies like the UK.
The power of AI
The second installment of Logical Economics is here! In this issue, our student authors shift their focus toward the transformative power of technology and the economic implications of new government policies.
From the “AI arms race” to the psychology of our digital habits, we explore how innovation is rewriting the rules of the market.
The AI Revolution & Market Shifts
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Nvidia’s Dominance: How a focus on GPUs has turned Nvidia into a market powerhouse, creating massive “derived demand” through its partnerships with giants like Microsoft and Apple.
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The Death of Monopolies? Exploring whether disruptive AI technology could finally challenge the “uncontestably” dominant positions of Google and Meta.
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Barriers to Entry: A look at how tools like the CUDA toolkit create strong barriers that keep competitors at bay.
Public Policy & Vaping
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The New Vape Tax: Breaking down the 2024 Budget’s plan to introduce a specific indirect tax on vaping starting in October 2026.
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Internalising Externalities: How taxing vapes aims to reduce “passive vaping” and ease the long-term burden on the NHS.
The Digital Balancing Act
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Screen Time Economics: Analyzing the “psychosocial functions” of device usage—why 1 to 2 hours of screen time can actually be beneficial, while excess leads to negative externalities like sleep disturbance and anxiety.
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Productivity vs. Interaction: How using technology for skill-building (like watching Economics videos!) can benefit society, provided we don’t lose the “human foundation” of face-to-face interaction.
Are we on the road to recession?
We are excited to announce the launch of our very first issue of Logical Economics! This student-led publication is designed to help our community navigate the global stories making headlines by applying a practical “hint” of economic theory.
In this debut issue, our student contributors break down the fundamental concepts that dictate our daily lives—from the price of a burger to the future of the planet.
Economics: Back to Basics
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Systems of the World: Understanding the differences between Command, Free Market, and Mixed economies, and identifying where the UK sits on that spectrum.
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The Power of Choice: Exploring Opportunity Cost—why every government investment, like Hull’s £150,000 EV charging project, means giving up something else like road repairs.
Your Wallet & The Market
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Inflation: The Silent Enemy: Ever wondered why the £0.99 McDonald’s burger disappeared? We look at how global events, like the war in Ukraine, drive up production costs for everyone.
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Exploring Monopolies: A deep dive into “monopoly rents” and how tech giants like Apple and Amazon use their market dominance to influence prices and competition.
A Balanced Global Outlook
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Recession or Recovery? Analyzing recent data from the Bank of England and considering if the UK’s economic downturn might be shorter than expected.
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Reasons for Optimism: While the news can feel heavy, we highlight the strides being made in AI research, limitless energy, and the continued fall of absolute global poverty.