4 Government and the macroeconomy Flashcards
Direct Intervention of the government
Public Services
Welfare Service
Indirect Intervention of the government
Employment legislation
Consumer protection laws
Environmental protection
Competition law
Intellectual property rights
Subsidies
Public services
In many countries, the government also directly provides other essential public services, such as postal services, public transport systems, the emergency services. These services are not run in the same way as they would be if private sector firms were seeking to maximise profits.
Welfare services
In mixed economic systems, the government provides social and welfare services to people in need. These include transfer payments such as unemployment benefits and state pension schemes for the elderly.
Tax
A compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers’ income and business profits or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions.
Tariff
A tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports.
Direct tax
A type of tax directly paid to the government by the taxpayer. It is a percentage levied on a person’s income and wealth, and on the profits of businesses.
Indirect tax
Taxes are imposed by the government on spending to buy goods and services.
Macro-Economic Objectives
Indicator - Objective
Trade-Balanced (x-m)
Inflation-Low and stable, 2%
Growth-Strong, Sustained, Sustainable
Employment-Low unemployment, Full employment
Redistribution of income-“FAIR”
Stability-
Balance of payments
Is a record of a country’s financial transactions with other nations.
This includes the money flows into and out of a country from the sale of exports and the purchase of imports.
If the money inflows exceed the outflows, then a balance of payments surplus exists.
If the outflows exceed the inflows, the country has spent more than it has earned, so a balance of payments deficit occurs.
Income equality
Is when an income of a country is distributed equally in the economy (not individual income) (gene coefficient)
Principles of tax
Progressive
Convenient
Efficient
Certainty
Flexible
Equities
Deficit
Dept
Fiscal policy
Is the use of taxation and government expenditure strategies to influence the level of economic activity and macroeconomic objectives such as employment, economic growth and the control of inflation.
Deregulation
Is a supply-side policy of making markets more competitive by removing barriers to entry and other market imperfections.
Monetary policy
Refers to the use of interest rates, exchange rates and the money supply to control macroeconomic objectives and to affect the level of economic activity.
Privatisation
Is a supply-side policy of selling off state-owned assets to the private sector.
Supply-side policies
Are the long-term strategies aimed at increasing the productive capacity of the economy by improving the quality and/or quantity of factors of production.
How do governments collect money
Tax Revenues
Income Tax
Inheritance Tax
Import Taxes
How do governments use money
Government Spending
Health Care
Education
Defence
Roads
State Benefits
Expansionary fiscal policy
(AD Up)
Boost Growth
Reduce Unemployment
Increase Inflation
Redistribute Income
Contractionary fiscal policy
(AD Down)
Reduce Inflation
Reduce Budget Deficit/National Dept
Redistribute Income
Reduce Current Account Deficit
Incentives to work
Cuts in income tax can be used to create incentives for people to seek employment and to work harder.
Some economists argue that reducing social welfare assistance such as unemployment benefits can also create incentives for people to seek employment.
Government support for business start· ups can also create incentives for entrepreneurs and business creation.
Investment expenditure
Government capital expenditure on infrastructure (such as railroads, motorways, schools and hospitals) helps to boost investment in the economy.
Human capital expenditure
This refers to government expenditure on staffing by investing in education and training.
Recognition lags
There is a time lag in recognising that government intervention is needed to affect the level of economic activity.
This is because governments do not necessarily know if the economy is growing too fast (or declining too quickly).
Macro Administrative lags
There is a time delay between recognising the need for fiscal policy intervention and actually implementing appropriate action,
such as approving tax changes or alterations to the government budget.
Impact lags
There is a time lag between implementing fiscal policy and seeing the actual effects on the economy.
A cut in income tax, for example, will take time to have a significant impact on the spending habits of households.
Government budget
A financial plan of how much tax revenue will be collected and where it will be spent over a period of time (usually one year).
Budget deficit
When government expenditure is greater than government revenue
Budget surplus
When government revenue is greater than government expenditure.
Types of direct tax
Personal income tax
Corporate income tax
Wealth tax
Capital gains tax
Inheritance tax
Windfall tax
Payroll tax
Types of indirect tax
Sales tax
Excise tax
Customs duty (tariffs)
Carbon tax
Stamp duty
Progressive tax system
A system where the proportion of income tax increases as income increases.
This means that as someone’s income or profits increase, they will have to pay a higher proportion (percentage) of their income or profit as tax.
Regressive tax system
A system where the proportion of income tax decreases as income increases.
This means that as someone’s income or profits increase, they will have to pay a lower proportion (percentage) of their income or profit as tax.
proportional tax system
A system where the proportion of income deducted as tax stays the same whatever the income level of the individual or the profits of a business.
Tax base
Tax based on the total amount of assets, property and revenue a government can tax.
Tax burden
The total amount of tax that individuals and firms pay to the government.
It is expressed as a percentage of the economy’s total gross domestic product (GDP).
Money supply
The total amount of money circulating in an economy at any one given time.
Money involves the currency (notes and coins), and money in deposit and current accounts.
Monetary supply
Controlling the money supply in an economy by changing interest rates and the amount of currency in circulation.
Interest rates
Determines the price of borrowing money or the return from saving money in the bank.