Economic Planning

Economic planning is the process policymakers undertake to ensure the generation, sharing, and consumption of wealth. RAND has examined the economic planning at local and national levels, the economic cycles that result, and the political issues surrounding the economic planning process.

  • Stacks of coins with trees on top next to a light bulb with a green map of the world, on top of dirt, in front of a blurred green background, photo by Khanchit Khirisutchalual/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Budget Models Are Underselling the Benefits of Solving Climate Problems

    When Congress considers a new law or spending package, analysts calculate its likely impact on the federal budget. When it comes to climate change legislation, those numbers don't capture the whole picture. Potential savings and other benefits get significantly underestimated.

    Nov 15, 2023

  • Aerial view of the Intuit Dome construction site with SoFi Stadium in the background in Inglewood, California, October 13, 2023, photo by Image of Sport/Reuters

    Commentary

    A Case for Promoting Infrastructure Equity for the Olympics

    In 2028, Los Angeles will host the Olympic Games for the third time. A critical factor for successfully hosting will be for planners to ask hard questions early, so the community can collaborate with the organizing committee, informing its response to critical themes such as homes, health, transport, jobs, society, and culture.

    Oct 16, 2023

  • Soldiers in Taiwan, July 6, 2020, photo by Wang Yu Ching/Office of the President, Taiwan/CC BY 2.0

    Report

    Could Taiwan Fend Off a Chinese Attack?

    China's growing military advantage suggests that, even with major improvements to Taiwan's defenses, U.S. intervention will be necessary to deter or defeat an attack by China. Changes in aspects of Taiwan's political leadership and social cohesion offer the surest path for developing the island's capacity to resist a large-scale attack.

    Jun 27, 2023

  • A soldier's hands on a battery, photo by Staff Sgt. Sarah M. McClanahan/U.S. Air Force

    Report

    Critical Material Supply Chains Should Be More Resilient

    The COVID-19 pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine highlight the vulnerabilities of supply chains that are dependent on foreign inputs. How can the U.S. Department of Defense increase the resilience of its supply chains for materials essential to national security?

    Dec 15, 2022

  • Report

    Report

    Modeling and Measuring the Effects of Economic Shocks on a Defense Industrial Base

    The purpose of this report is to assist Department of Defense decisionmakers called upon to respond to adverse economic shocks by identifying opportunities for improving analysis of shocks and their effects on U.S. defense postures.

    Oct 18, 2022

  • Massive coils of heavy high tension wire to rebuild the island's electrical distribution system arrive at the lay-down yard in this undated photo in Ponce, Puerto Rico, photo by Jerry Rogers/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

    Commentary

    U.S. Military Power Comes from More Than Just the Defense Budget

    With U.S. domestic challenges ranging from the ongoing pandemic to long-delayed infrastructure investments, now is a good time to consider spending that provides both domestic and national security benefits. Infrastructure spending offers one such example.

    May 10, 2021

  • A hearing to examine U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Cyber Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2022 and the Future Years Defense Program, on Capitol Hill, March 25, 2021, photo by Andrew Harnik/Pool/Sipa USA

    Report

    How Does Defense Spending Affect Economic Growth?

    Prioritizing defense spending over infrastructure investment might undermine economic growth. Given that the size and health of the U.S. economy are ultimately the basis for the nation's military power, policymakers should consider that the economic effects of defense spending have consequences for long-term security.

    May 7, 2021

  • Unemployment Insurance

    Multimedia

    Unemployment Insurance: Why Does It Vary Across States?

    RAND economist Kathryn Edwards discusses the variance of unemployment insurance across states and its effect on how workers are financially supported.

    Sep 28, 2020

  • News Release

    News Release

    China 2050: How the U.S. Should Prepare for an Ascendant China

    The United States should prepare for a triumphant or ascending People's Republic of China—scenarios that not only align with current PRC national development trends but also represent the most challenging future scenarios for the U.S. military.

    Jul 24, 2020

  • Chinese flag, yuan, and soldiers, image design by Katherine Wu/RAND Corporation; photos by Dmytro and Mike/Adobe Stock

    Report

    China's Grand Strategy

    China aims to be well governed, socially stable, economically prosperous, technologically advanced, and militarily powerful by 2050. Will it succeed? And how might its progress affect U.S.-China relations over the next three decades?

    Jul 24, 2020

  • The Pentago, in Arlington, VA, photo by Stocktrek Images/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Be Wary of Proposals for Less Defense Budget Transparency

    The Pentagon has asked Congress to end the requirement that it make public an unclassified version of the Future Years Defense Program—the department's budget plans for at least the next five years. Although some information needs to be classified, the value of transparency for public debate and oversight in a democracy outweighs the marginal intelligence gains to U.S. adversaries.

    Apr 29, 2020

  • An aerial view of the Pentagon building in Washington D.C., June 15, 2005, photo by Jason Reed/Reuters

    Commentary

    Defense Budget Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic

    The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a dramatic toll on the U.S. economy. This could have significant medium-term implications for the U.S. defense budget. The U.S. Department of Defense will need to find efficiencies that are of at least the same magnitude as the recent sequestration.

    Apr 7, 2020

  • People walk around an almost empty Grand Central Terminal as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues in New York City, U.S., March 29, 2020, photo by Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

    Commentary

    On the Horns of the COVID-19 Dilemma

    COVID-19 poses two dire threats to the United States: the potential deaths of many thousands of Americans, and the devastation of the $22 trillion annual economy. Protecting the health of as many people as possible by shutting down ordinary life seems completely justifiable, but that necessarily inflicts damage to the economy. This is truly a dilemma.

    Mar 30, 2020

  • Founder of the Baring Vostok private equity group Michael Calvey, who was detained on suspicion of fraud, sits inside a defendants' cage as he attends a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, February 15, 2019, photo by Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters

    Commentary

    Investing in Russia's Future

    Russia's economic problems can be traced to sanctions, lack of investment and lack of reform. The Kremlin has the power to address these problems. Reforms could unlock economic potential, and enable Russians to improve their living standards.

    Mar 1, 2019

  • Report

    Report

    Wanxiang Innovation Energy Fusion City: Recommendations for Developing an Innovation Cluster

    RAND authors develop a mission statement and recommend policies to help achieve the Wanxiang Group's vision of developing the Wanxiang Innovation Energy Fusion City into an innovative cluster built around smart and green automotive technologies.

    Sep 20, 2017

  • A man uses an Apple Watch to demonstrate the mobile payment service Apple Pay at a cafe in Moscow, Russia, October 3, 2016

    Commentary

    Digital Technology and the Future of Commerce

    Advances in digital technology can connect businesses and consumers, develop new and niche markets, and commodify new activities. As the exchange of goods and services evolves, what are the societal impacts?

    Aug 30, 2017

  • Report

    Report

    Calculating the Gross Regional Product of the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Arabic translation

    Estimates the gross regional product (GRP) of the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq in 2012 (excluding natural resources) and describes efforts to set up a system for data collection and analysis to support future annual GRP calculation.

    Dec 21, 2016

  • Report

    Report

    Calculating the Gross Regional Product of the Kurdistan Region — Iraq: Kurdish translation

    Estimates the gross regional product (GRP) of the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq in 2012 (excluding natural resources) and describes efforts to set up a system for data collection and analysis to support future annual GRP calculation.

    Oct 21, 2016

  • News Release

    News Release

    Re-establishing Border Controls in Europe Could Cost Up to €3 Billion a Year

    Re-establishing border controls across Europe would cost €2 to 3 billion in annual operating costs, plus fixed one-off costs of anywhere between €0.1 and €19 billion. There would also be significant social and political costs.

    Oct 13, 2016

  • Protesters hold a banner reading 'We are all citizens of the world, no frontier, no borders' in Ventimiglia, Italy, August 7, 2016

    Journal Article

    The Costs of Reintroducing Border Controls in Europe

    The Schengen Agreement in 1985 led to the end of border controls across 26 European nations. Reintroducing these controls would cost billions of euros in economic costs. Social and political costs would also be substantial.

    Oct 12, 2016

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