劳动生产率年平均增长2％以上,失业率降至40年来的最低点,通货膨胀保持在微不足道的水平,美国新经济的出色表现使最乐观的预测家也感到意外。但是,一些学者认为,新经济其实并不新。普通工人目前的工资仍比1973年的水平低10％左右。通货膨胀的下降至少部分地是亚洲金融危机带给美国人的礼物。作者对美国生产力增长的长期趋势表示怀疑。 With an average annual increase of more than 2% in labor productivity, the unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level in 40 years, inflation has remained insignificant and the performance of the new economy in the United States has surprised the most optimistic forecaster. However, some scholars believe that the new economy is actually not new. The average wage of the average worker is still about 10% below the level of 1973. The fall in inflation is at least partly a gift from the Asian financial crisis to Americans. The author is skeptical about the long-term trend of productivity growth in the United States.