Economic Growth & Economic Cycle - Macro Flashcards
What is short run economic growth?
Brings idle resources into production and takes up the slack in the economy
What is long run economic growth?
When the productive capacity of an economy increases
The trend rate of ‘growth of real national output in an economy’
What is an output gap?
The difference between the actual level of output and the potential level of output
What are the effects of a negative output gap?
- puts downward pressure on inflation
- causes a lot of spare capacity
What are the causes of a positive output gap?
- resources being used beyond the normal capacity (e.g. labour working overtime)
- an increase in productivity (this puts an upward pressure on inflation)
What is the economic cycle
The process that economies forever go through of boom, slowdown, recession and recovery
What is recovery?
When an economy is progressing past a recession and beginning to expand again
What is boom?
When the level of real output becomes greater than the trend level of output
What is slowdown?
The phase before a recession when an economy experiences very little growth
What is a recession?
Negative colonic growth over two consecutive quarters
It is the lowest point within an economic growth cycle
What does the government usually do during a recession?
- increase spending to try and stimulate the economy (e.g. more welfare payments, cutting taxes)
What is a wealth effect?
When consumer confidence and spending increase
How is economic growth measured?
By the percentage annual change in GDP
What is the trend growth rate?
The rate at which output can grow, on a sustained basis, without putting an upward or downward pressure on inflation
What is a depression?
A severe recession lasting longer than 2 years
What type of fluctuations occur in an economy?
Seasonal fluctuations
Cyclical fluctuations
What are seasonal fluctuations?
Fluctuations in the economy that are largely caused by changes in the weather e.g. seasonal employment in travel and tourism
How frequently does the economic cycle occur?
Approx. Every 4-12 years
What causes economic cycles?
Fluctuations in aggregate demand