Global Economics - Economic growth and economic development strategies Flashcards
Define trade liberalisation
Trade liberalisation is when countries remove barriers to trade such as subsidies, tariffs, quotas and administrative barriers.
What are the benefits of increased imports?
- Lower prices for consumers
- Increased competition improves the quantity and quality of products
- Increased competition pressures local firms therefore improving productive efficiency
- Greater consumer choice
- Access to natural resources and technologies that are locally unavailable
- Improved international cooperation
- More efficient global resource allocation
What are the benefits of increased exports?
- Access to larger markets (higher revenues and profits for firms)
- Income in international currencies can be used to buy resources on global markets
- Economies of scale
- Aggregate demand and national income increase, increasing employment
- Domestic firms may be able to sell goods and services for higher prices abroad than they do in domestic markets, increasing revenues
- Improved international cooperation
- More efficient global resource allocation
What percentage of the WTO members are developing countries?
Over 75%
What are the disadvantages of trade liberalisation for developing countries?
- national security issues
- infant (sunrise) industries / diversification
- health, safety, environment
- unfair competition
- cannot use trade barriers to adjust balance of payments
- decreased government revenues
- job protection
- dependence
Define import substitution
Import substitution refers to protectionist measures that are implemented to help a country become independent from imports from abroad using protectionism to limit foreign competition.
Define export promotion
Export promotion, or export-led growth strategy, is any policy that supports domestic industries so that they become exporting industries. Like import substitution, trade protectionism is used to achieve this.
What are the benefits of diversification?
- Economic resilience
- Helps the economy shift from primary sector to higher value-added sectors
- Smooths fluctuations in foreign exchange earnings
What are the methods to diversify exports?
- Trade liberalisation
- Export promotion
Define social enterprises
Social enterprises are businesses whose primary objective is to improve social or environmental conditions. They can be non-for-profit and for-profit.
What are the market-based policies to encourage economic development and growth?
- Trade liberalisation
- Privatisation
- Deregulation
Define Regulation
Regulations are rules and restrictions that the government creates to ensure that firms behave in a way that is best for social welfare.
What are the strengths of market-based policies (privatisation/deregulation)?
- Economic growth
- Development – multiple dimensions?
- Productive efficiency
- Allocative efficiency
- Reduced pressure on government budget
What are the limitations of market-based policies (privatisation/deregulation)?
- May reduce equity
- May result in market failure
- May increase unemployment
- Ineffective if institutions and complex systems are dysfunctional
- Ineffective if informal economy is large
Define redistribution policies
Redistribution policies are measures taken by governments to reallocate income and wealth more equitably in society.
What are the redistribution policies?
- Tax structure
- Transfer payments
- Minimum wage
Define merit goods
Merit goods are goods or services that are beneficial for those who consume them and have positive externalities for society. In a free market they are under-provided and under-consumed, so the government will usually provide them to some extent.