Chapter 2 Flashcards
Some Tools of the Economist
opportunity cost
the highest value sacrificed
what is the foundation of trade?
mutual gain
how does trade create value?
value is subjective, facilitates specialization and division of labor, and helps encourage and spread knowledge
transaction costs
the time, effort, and resources required to search out, negotiate, and conclude an exchange
middlemen do what to transaction costs?
reduce them
private ownership (3 things)
- the right to exclusive rights
- protection from invaders
- the right to trade or sell it
law of comparative advantage
the total output of a group/economy/whatever will be greatest when the output of each good is produced by the person with the lowest opportunity cost for that good
two types of efficiency
technical (or productive): like the boundary of the PPC; economic: based on supply and demand
entrepreneur
a profit-seeking decision-maker who bears the responsibility and financial risk of a business venture in seeking an uncertain potential reward