In economia, lo stimolo (stimulus) si riferisce ai tentativi di utilizzare lapoliticamonetaria o fiscale (o politiche di stabilizzazione in generale) per stimolare l'economia. Lo stimolo può anche riferirsi a politiche monetarie come l'abbassamento dei tassi di interesse e l'allentamento quantitativo.[1]
«"Hoover and his secretary of the treasury, Andrew Mellon (himself often wrongly portrayed as a defender of laissez faire), proposed $400 million in new federal buildings as well as $175 million in public works through the federal Shipping Board. These proposals met with approval from the professoriate as examples of 'constructive industrial statesmanship.' They were also ridiculed as 'pump priming' in a New York Tribune editorial cartoon of April 8, 1930..."»