C38 Demand side policies Flashcards
What are demand-side policies
Monetary policy
Fiscal policy
These have a major effect on the AD
What are monetary policies?
Policies that involve making decisions about interest rates and the money supply
What are contractionary monetary policies?
Reducing AD by using high interest rates and restriction the money supply
What are expansionary monetary policies?
Increasing AD by reducing interest rates and putting less restriction on the money supply
What is the problem with demand-side policies?
They cannot achieve all economic objectives at once
There will always be a trade-off
What is the main objective of monetary policies?
Price stability
Low inflation rates
Economic Gorwoth
Decrease unemployment
Who are interest rates set by in the UK?
By the MPC (monetary policy committee)
What does the MPC do?
Set inflation targets of 2%
Must be within + or - 1% of this target or they must get in contact with the bank of England
Why are low inflation rates desired?
Represents a stable economy and reduces the uncertainty for future investment
What traits of the Bank of England allow for stability and credibility?
Independent (politics doesn’t play a role)
Accountable (must reach the target or have to consult with the chancellor)
What does the MPC do to avoid conflicts with other objectives?
Monitoring economic data
size of output gaps
exchange rates average earning changes
What effect will an increase in interest rates have?
–borrowing
–spending
–investment
–onfidence
–exports
+ saving
+ imports
What is the liquidity trap?
When people are pessimistic about the future state of the economy, they may still chose to not invest even with low interest rates
How does the market affect interest rates?
Bank rates changes will cause changes to all interest rates as banks ofter have to borrow money
What are bank rates?
Lowest the Bank of England will lend at