Contenu du sommaire : Quelques problèmes de la politique économique et sociale

SUMMARY The theory games furnished au occasion 1o reconsider tlie eco nomic problem When an explanation tile economic phenomena to be built it is essential to give rational diagram of the human conjunc tures which ire implied When an attempt is made to provi rie represen tation of ail these possible conjunctures two big categories are to be distinguished Peaceful conjunctures when no struggle is going on within an atmosphere which was called Irewal conjunctures niter struggle within an atmosphere of strategy or belligerency Lntil now it vvns thought that the economic coiijunctur belonged only to tiie firsi type This was the theory of markets The idea promoted by he i-uit.hor in these pages is that the conjunctures of the second type are also economic conjunctures and not only military or politicai conjunctures general theory of economic conjunctures would raean the building up theory of influence or of the effect of the subject on the others on its snrroundings In conjunctures without struggle or uncertainty the subject accepts the reactions of its surroundings without any attempt to influence them The traditional homo icoa.oiuicus is ented like that he is actually uncomplaining The ftrst part or the article is summing lip of the features of this homo econ micas compared witli the making of prices and of the conjuncture It underlines the insuffuciency of these features and evokes the testimony of Keyues Chamberlin and kerman In conjunctures Iwith struggle and uncertainty new type of homo oncouomicus revéales himself and new aspects of tite market come to light The homo conotiiicus becomes then real and acting subject The theory is only Ifumched feiw manifestations are stressed the elabo ration of strategy by liachevsky the parameters etion and the con- junctural flexibilities by Prisen the cybernetic regulations and the opera tional research The conclusion is made around ideas of conjecture and conjuncture It leads to the follofwiug question is it possible to pass without any discontinuity from theory of small to theory of great numbers

Monetary policy the revival of which Avas significant feature of economic policy since 1950 was discussed during the last years from theoretical or national point of view new approach is fellowed here to evaluate the efficiency of monetary policy in the light of experience and to state the conditions and measure of this efficiency. First is considered conclusion in his recent work on Business cycles and economic policy that direct controls and detailed fiscal policy are not better means of intervention than general monetary policy which permits the operation of the price system. Without accepting the extreme view that monetary policy can alone maintain economic stability we can rightly emphasize its complementary role both to reinforce direct controls by regulating money supply and to outweigh some deficiencies of fiscal policy. In every case the role of monetary policy is related to nev ana lysis of interest-elasticity of consumption and investment and to the psychological influence of uncertainty created by its flexibility. Monetary policy was used to maintain internal stability and restore the equilibrium of the balance of payments Specially in the United States Federal Reserve policy succeeded in counteracting deflationary tendencies and inflationary pressures The argument that hard money leads to unemploy ment is discussed in the light of Belgian German and Swedish experiences and the adoption of less ambitious concept of full employment is suggested. The Intimate connection between monetary policy and the balance of payments is also indicated by Important examples (Germany, Netherlands Norway). Though too numerous factors were intricated during these last years to permit to isolate accurately the specific influence of monetary policy it appeared successful in correcting short period disequilibria if the timing of intervention is proper and necessary to supplement other economic measures the combination of which depends on the nature and intensity of the disequilibrium The study of economic policies leads to the conclusion that economic policy must be essentially eclectic.

SUMMARY The French system of family allowances is based on the progressivlty of the allowances amount according to the number of children but then on its fixity in connection with the direct incomes level Thisi last point is criticised by family Associations The author tries to reply to this criticism taking the tax credits agreed to the heads of family into account these personal exemptions being chiefly to the advantage of middle and upper classes But the chief reason of the non-proportionnality between family advan tages and incomes levels is due to the inexistence of horizontal appor tionment because of an relatively low ceiling rate fvvhich limits the basis for the assessment of the contributions The article going by the present legislation tries to give the precise amount of the contributions necessary to reach quasi-proportionnality between family allolwances and income amount

SUMMARY The judgment of value applied to an economie system taikes most often as reference an ideal competition But the capitalism of today leaves only little space for this hypothetic competition There are however nume rous individuals who judge it workable Monopolies and trusts meet modern needs for progress better because they correspond to the mass techniques and privileged position on the market may favour an innovation Even when there is no price competition the market sets limits to the domination and to the suppression of enterprises for this competition applies to quality sale conditions and innovation Therefore those who are victims of an economic domination can re-establish or even reverse relations of forces But an analysis of workable economy cannot pretend to follow the logical strictness of the scheme of general price competition because it calls for creative reactions which are not entirely determined by the facts from which they proceed

SUMMARY After careful survey of the collective agreements recently concluded between the American trade union U.A.AV.-C.I.O and the car companies Ford and General Motors agreements that establish the principle of gua ranteed annual wages for all workers of these companies the author surveys the deep transformations which convulsed the American economy during the course of the last years He stresses particularly the evolution of ideas which lias developed at the same time ageing of the American nation increasing need of security of the worker lvho has become conscious of his isolation These are some of the factors which contributed since several years to the application of pension plans and fringe benefits and now of guaranteed annual wage which have become primary issues of the conventions The author raises then tlie issue of the generalized application of the guaranteed annual wage and its consequences state laws increasing of the industrial concentration extension of automation growing of the dispa rity bet ween the various fields of tli American economy Tl conclusion tends to outline the exact position of the G.A.W within the frame of American pragmatism and of American society as wdiole