International: New Strains Emerge
The recovery of the world economy from the
1974-75 recession slowed down considerably
in 1977. Economic growth (as measured by
changes in real gross national product) in the
industrial countries comprising the
membership of the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD),1 declined from a 4 percent annual
rate in the first half to 31/4 percent in the second
half. This brought the growth for the year
to about 31/2 percent, compared to the approximately
51/4 percent recorded in 1976. The
slowdown in the aggregate rate of growth
between 1976 and 1977 was the result of a
leveling off of growth in Japan and the United
States, and a considerable reduction in the
rate of growth in virtually all of Europe.