Day: August 8, 2025

Political unrest is a broad term that includes both violent and nonviolent group acts. It is used widely among United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to describe limited political violence (such as acts of terrorism or individual assassinations) or sporadic violent and sometimes nonviolent collective action such as riots. Civil unrest tends to take place, although not exclusively, in times of peace and is generally understood as occurring predominantly in urban areas (Kalyvas 2000:3).

The recent resurgence in political violence across the United States shows that social unrest is no longer a rare occurrence. It is a symptom of growing global societal vulnerability to the effects of climate change, rising inequality and increasing levels of government repression that are all interlinked.

While social unrest declined at the beginning of the pandemic, it has remained high since then in advanced economies and many emerging and developing countries. The apparent motives for the unrest have been as varied as climate change, racial or socio-economic tensions and misinformation that is disseminated by social media and spreads like propaganda.

One of the most consistent causes of political unrest is extreme economic inequality, especially when a small group controls a significant share of the nation’s wealth. Inequality has been a key factor in the uprisings in Chile, Lebanon and elsewhere as well as in the United States. This is due to both inherited riches and rising incomes for the top one percent that are not fully matched by wage growth.

A country’s inflation rate is an indicator of its economic health. It measures the average price increase of a basket of goods and services over time. High inflation can be bad for businesses and consumers, because it causes a loss of purchasing power. Inflation is an important metric because it can influence many facets of the economy. It can encourage spending and lead to growth, but it can also cause higher interest rates on debt and slow economic growth.

Inflation is caused by a variety of factors, but the most common is “demand-pull inflation.” This occurs when demand for products outstrips supply. It can also be caused by a rise in wages and the availability of credit.

The best way to measure inflation is by using an index. A typical index is the Consumer Price Index, which takes into account all prices in a certain market or region. The index is then compared to the same index from the previous year to determine the inflation rate.

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In addition to measuring inflation, companies need to consider the effect on their margins. Inflation can force companies to raise prices for end consumers in order to offset the cost of rising input costs. It can be challenging to find the right balance, however, as raising prices too high can suppress demand and harm sales and profits.

Inflation is a complex issue that can affect everyone from individuals to large corporations. Understanding and properly managing inflation is crucial to a strong and sustainable economy.