2.5 The Economic Cycle Flashcards
Define the economic cycle
The tendency for an economy to fluctuate between upswing, boom, downturn and recession
Give the 5 stages of the economic cycle
Upswing, boom, downturn, recession, recovery
Define economic boom
A period of rapid economic growth linked with rising demand and lower unemployment
Define economic downturn
Where people reduce spending, causing a fall in aggregate demand, thus reducing income and government revenue
Define recession
Where firms cut output due to low demand which reduces employment and lowers GDP
Define stagflation
A very bad combination of falling GDP and high inflation
Define what is meant by a ‘leading indicator’
Early signs of direct economic action such as the state of consumer confidence
Definer what is meant by a ‘lagging indicator’
Measures that are slow to reflect the current state of economic activity (e.g. employment levels)
Give 3 evaluation points on how a recession could be positive
- Sales of inferior goods rise
- Inflation is normally low
- Scope to employ a higher skilled workforce
Define circular flow of income
Connections between different sectors of our economic system focusing on goods and services and factors of production between firms and houselholds
Give 3 injections into the circular flow of income
Investment
Exports
Government Spending
Give 3 leakages from the circular flow of income
Savings
Imports
Taxes
Define injection in relation to the circular flow of income
Additions to the link between firms and households
Define leakage in relation to the circular flow of income
Ways in which income escapes from the circular flow of income
Define Aggregate demand
Total demand for goods and services in the economy
Give the equation for AD
AD = C + I + G + (X - M)
What is the biggest component of AD?
Consumer Spending
How does investment boost AD?
Spending on capital goods increases the productive capacity of the economy
How does government spending boost AD?
Direct investment, indirect grants, welfare payments
How does the balance of payments boost AD?
Exports are counted as domestic demand
Define fiscal policy
The use of government spending, taxation and borrowing to influence the pattern of economic activity
Define monetary policy
The use of interest rates to influence the supply of money and borrowing to influence economic activity