FINALS REVIEW Flashcards
What is the economic perspective?
A view point that envisions individuals and institutions making ration decisions by comparing marginal costs and benefits associated with their actions
What is the definition of economics?
The social science concerned with how individuals, institutions, and society make optimal choices under conditions of scarcity
How does the PPC illustrate scarcity?
Scarcity is illustrated by the unattainable points outside of the curve
How does the PPC illustrate choice?
The PPC illustrates choice by the variety of different combinations on the curve
How does the PPC illustrate cost?
Cost is illustrated by the downward slope of the curve
What are the determinants of the PPC?
Technology, quantity, capital stock, and international trade
What are the five fundamental questions?
1) What goods and services will be produced?
2) How will they be produced?
3) Who will receive the goods and services?
4) How will the system accommodate change?
5) How will the system promote progress?
What is consumer sovereignty?
The role consumers play in deciding what is produces through their “dollar votes”
Why is specialization between nations good?
It makes use of difference in ability, fosters learning by doing, and saves time, overall achieving efficiency.
Positive economics
Analysis of facts or data to establish scientific generalizations (what is)
Normative economics
Value judgements on what the economy SHOULD be like (policy economics)
Factors of production/resources
Land, labor, capital, entrepreneurship
Productive efficiency
Production at the least cost possible, found at the minimum ATC
Allocative efficiency
Production of goods most wanted by society, MB=MC, and surplus is at a maximum
Market system
Market system relies on private property, freedom of enterprise (ensures people can obtain resources) and freedom of choice
Market system results in competition and incentives
A market brings together buyers and sellers
Command System
Heavily government run and is called socialism or communism
Two insurmountable problems of a command economy are coordination and incentive
Laissez Faire Economy
Little government and no one has ever attempted this, otherwise referred to as “pure capitalism”
Law of increasing opportunity costs
As the production of one good increases, so does the opportunity cost of the other
Law of diminishing marginal returns
As more workers are added, there is less benefit to each additional unit
Absolute advantage
A situation where one person can produce more of a good than another nation
Comparative advantage
A situation where one nation can produce a good at a lower opportunity cost than the other
“invisible hand”
Firms, while acting in their own self interest, will end up also acting in society’s best interest, creating unity between private and social interests
Individual’s economizing problem
Finite amount of income but infinite amount of wants. Solution to this is a budget line, a PPC
Society’s economizing problem
Where do we donate our resources?
Why is the PPC bowed out?
Law of increasing opportunity costs
Demand
Amount of a product that consumers are willings and able to purchase at a series of prices
Supply
Various amounts of product that producers are willing and able to produce at a series of prices
Determinants of demand
1) change in consumer taste
2) change in the number of buyers in the market
3) consumer’s income
4) price of related goods
5) consumer expectations
Determinants of supply
1) resource prices
2) technology
3) taxes and subsidies
4) prices of other goods
5) producer expectations
6) number of sellers in the market
Why is the demand curve down sloping?
Because of the law of demand, as the price decreases people buy more of the product
- Diminishing marginal utility
- Substitution effect
- Income effect
Why is the supply up sloping?
The law of supply, as the price of a product increases producers are willing to produce more of a product
Why is equilibrium important in a market economy?
It is where the intentions of buyers and sellers meet
Formula of the price elasticity of demand
The ratio of the percent change in quantity demanded to the percent change in its price
Determinants of elasticity of demand
Substitutability, proportion of income, luxuries vs. necessity, and time
What is the total revenue test?
TR=P*Q
If TR changes in the opposite direction of price then demand is elastic, if TR changes in the same direction of price then demand is inelastic
What are the administrative costs of price ceilings and floors?
Shortages and surpluses, resources are misallocated, and produce negative side effects
Normal good
A good that when income increases, consumption increases and when income decreases consumption decreases (price constant)
Ei=+
Inferior good
Consumption declines when income rises (price constant)
Ei=-
Rationing function of prices
The ability of market forces in a competitive market to equalize quantity demanded and supplies and to eliminate shortages and surplus via price changes
Price ceiling
Price producers cannot surpass, intended to help consumers but ends up in a shortage
Price floor
Intended to help producers but ends up in a surplus
Short run
The time in which producers can change some of the resources they employ but not all, some resources are fixed some are variable