Macro Blue Booklet Flashcards
What is a policy objective?
The targets/ goals that a government want to achieve
What are policy instruments?
The tools that a govt used to try and achieve their policy objectives
What are policy indicators?
The units of measure used to assess economic performance of the government and measure any changes.
What does economic growth mean in an economy?
(The % change of good and services produced in an economy) % change in real GDP over a period of time.
Define the term price stability
Where the average level of prices remains broadly constant over a period of time. (Control inflation)
Define the term distribution of income
Distribution of income refers to how evenly (or not) incomes are shared across the population.
Define the term balance of payments
The balance of payments is a record of all currency flows in and out of a country for a specific period of time.
Distinguish between macroeconomic objectives and macroeconomic policies
A objective is an aim the government wishes to achieve for the macroeconomy. Where as a policy is a tool or instrument which helps the government to achieve it’s objectives for the macroeconomy.
Why might economic growth be important to an economy?
- *Consumers** are able to get higher paid jobs with more disposable income increasing their economic welfare.
- *Governments** have more money from the increase tax of consumers so they can spend more on improving services and infrastructure.
- *Businesses** have more sales so can charge at more a competitive price meaning more profit and allowing the business to grow.
What is Real GDP
a measure of all the goods and services produced in an economy, adjusted for inflation
What is Nominal GDP
GDP measured at the current market prices without removing the effects of inflation.
Define the term GDP per capita
Total national income in an economy divided by the number of people to give income per person.
Define inflation
Inflation is a persistent or continuing rise in the average price level
Define price level
Price Level is the average price of goods and services in an economy.
How does the price level affect inflation
Changes in the rate of inflation are caused by changes in the price of goods and services (price level)
Will a change in the price of a good or service always lead to a change in inflation?
No if the price of one time changes because demand for it is high this is not inflation. Inflation occurs when most prices are rising by some degree across the whole economy.
How is inflation measured?
Inflation is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Retail Price Index (RPI), both methods use index numbers to calculate the rate of inflation.
Define Consumer Price Index (CPI)
official measure used to calculate the rate of consumer price inflation in the UK. The CPI calculates the average price increase of a basket of 700 different consumer goods and service.
How are index numbers are used to calculate inflation? (Hint: CPI)
- The CPI is a weighted index. To construct a weighted index you must first select a base year. The
variable being measured is given a value of 100 in the base year and other years are compared to. - In the UK Statisticians seek to find out what people spend their money on
by carrying out a Family Expenditure Survey. This involves sampling more than 6,000 households, who are asked to keep a record of their expenditure. - From the information collected, the statisticians decide what to include in the price index. This is a representative sample of 700 goods and services. It
impractical and unnecessary to monitor the price of every product sold in every single shop. - The components of the index are weighted to reflect the importance of various items in the average shopping basket and the amount we spend in different regions of the country and in
different types of shops. - Expenditure weights are held constant for a year. Then the items in the shopping basket and their weights are reviewed and changed in the light of household spending patterns
- The next stage is to find out how prices of goods and services have been changing in the economy.
Government employees visit a range of outlets throughout the country and gather 100,000 prices for 520 items. - Finally the weights are multiplied by the new price index for each category in order to find a change in the price level for those goods.
State the two measures of unemployment used in the UK.
- Claimant Count
- Labour Force Survey
Define Claimant Count
the method of measuring unemployment according to those people who are claiming unemployment related benefits.
Define Labour Force Survey
Labour Force Survey it’s purpose is to provide information on the UK labour market. The survey seeks information on respondents’ personal circumstances and their labour market status during a period of 1-4 weeks.
Explain what is meant by a “weighted basket of goods” as used in the CPI calculation
The basket of goods refers to the range of goods that are used when calculating the CPI to measure inflation. It contains a range of goods and services bought by the average household in the UK weighted to represent what different amounts of income are spent on.
What are the four sections of the current account?
- Trade in Goods
- Trade in Services
- Primary Income
- Secondary Income
What is current account of the balance of payments?
Current Account of the Balance of Payments measures all of the currency flows into and out of a country in a particular time period payment for exports and imports, together with income and transfer flows (primary income and secondary income flows).
Define Balance of Trade Deficit
the money value of a country’s imports exceeds the money value of its exports
Define Balance of Trade Surplus
The money value of a country’s exports exceeds the money value of its imports
Why does National Income= National Output= National Product?
National output measures the actual goods and services produced by an economy.
National income measures the income received by labour and other factors of production when producing
goods and services.
National Expenditure measures spending of individuals incomes in goods and services.
(All to do with goods and services)
In the circular flow of income model, what is the equation?
Income= Output = Expenditure
Define Withdrawals in the circular flow diagram
a leakage of spending power out of the circular flow of income into savings, taxation or imports.
Go revise the circular flow of income diagrams!
Open and closed (it’s honestly not hard)
Define Injections in the circular flow diagram
Injection spending entering the
circular flow of income as a
result of government spending,
investment and exports
What are the 3 withdrawals in the circular flow of income?
•Saving
•Taxation
•Imports
(S+T+M)
What are the 3 injections in the circular flow of income?
•Investment
•Government spending
•Exports
(G+ I + X)
Define saving
Income which is not spent
Define Investment
total planned spending by firms on capital goods produced within an economy.
What happens when Injections > Withdrawals?
Results in net injection of spending into the economy causes output and incomes to rise