Macro Economics Final Exam Flashcards
autonomous consumption
Consumption that is independent of the level of disposable income.
aggregate expenditures function (AE)
The function that represents total spending in an economy at a given level of real disposable income.
autonomous expenditure
Spending that does not vary with the current level of disposable income.
classical economists
A group of economists whose theory dominated economic thinking from the 1770s to the Great Depression. They believed recessions would naturally cure themselves because the price system would automatically restore full employment.
consumption function
The graph or table that shows the amount households spend for goods and services at different levels of disposable income.
dissaving
The amount by which personal consumption expenditures exceed disposable income.
investment demand curve
The curve that shows the amount businesses spend for investment goods at different possible rates of interest.
John Maynard Keynes
British economist (1883–1946) whose influential work offered an explanation of the Great Depression and suggested, as a cure, that the government should play an active role in the economy.
marginal propensity to consume (MPC)
The change in consumption resulting from a given change in real disposable income.
marginal propensity to save (MPS)
The change in saving resulting from a given change in real disposable income.
saving
The part of disposable income households do not spend for consumer goods and services.
Say’s Law
The theory that supply creates its own demand.
Who was John Maynard Keynes?
British economist (1883-1946) who offered an explanation of the Great Depression of the 1930’s
When were the ideas of the classical economists widely accepted?
Prior to the 1930’s
What did the classical economists believe?
The economy is always tending toward a full employment equilibrium
What does Say’s Law say?
Supply creates its own demand.
Why is Say’s Law a full employment theory?
Producers produce goods consumers want and consumers have the money to buy because of the wages they were paid
Under Say’s Law, is unemployment possible?
Yes, but it is a short-lived adjustment period in which wages and prices decline or people voluntarily choose not to work
What is the name of the book Keynes had published in 1936?
The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money.
Why did Keynes believe that “supply did not create its own demand”?
Demand can be forever inadequate for an economy to achieve full employment.
What changed people’s mind about Say’s Law?
The Great Depression and the advent of Keynesian economics
What is the essence of Keynesian Economics?
The economy could tend toward a less than full employment equilibrium.
What determines demand for goods and services?
Disposable income
What is the consumption function?
A graph that shows the amount households spend for goods and services at different levels of disposable income
What is savings?
Money earned but not spent.
What is dissaving?
The amount by which personal spending exceeds disposable income.
How do people dissave?
By taking money from personal savings
What is autonomous consumption?
Consumption that is independent of the level of disposable income.
What happens when disposable income is zero?
Spending will equal autonomous consumption because households will dissave for basic needs.
What is the marginal propensity to consume (MPC)?
The change in consumption resulting from a change in real disposable income
Why does MPC plus MPS always equal 1?
Because savings is defined as money earned but not spent.
What does Marginal Propensity to Spend plus Marginal Propensity to Consume equal?
MPS + MPC = 1
If MPC changes from .50 to .75 then?
Consumption function shifts from C1 to C2 and People spend more at all levels of real disposable income.
What happens when real disposable income changes?
There is a direct relationship between changes in real disposable income and changes in consumption.
What happens if factors other than income change?
There is a shift in the consumption schedule.
Consumption shifts because of a change in?(Five reasons)
- Expectations
- Wealth
- Price levels
- Interest rates
- Stock of durable goods
How do expectations affect the consumption function?
Consumers expectations of things to happen in the future will affect their spending decisions today.
Does wealth affect consumption?
There is a direct relationship between a change in wealth and a change in consumption.
Is there a direct or indirect relationship with the price level affect the consumption function?
There is an indirect relationship between a change in prices and a change in consumption..
Is there an direct or indirect relationship with the interest rate affect the consumption function?
There is an indirect relationship between a change in interest rates and a change in consumption.
How does the stock of durable goods affect the consumption function?
When durable goods are suppressed, like during WWII, afterwards there is an increase in the demand for goods not previously made available.
How does consumption compare with investment?
Consumption is more stable than investment.
According to the classical economists, what determined the level of investment?
The interest rate.
According to Keynes, what determines the level of investment?
Expectations of future profits is the primary factor, along with the level of interest rates.
What is the investment demand curve?
The curve that shows the amount businesses invest at different possible rates of interest.
Why is investment demand unstable?(Five reasons)
- Expectations
- Technological change
- Capacity utilization
- Business taxes
- Autonomous reasons
How do expectations affect investment?
Investors are susceptible to moods of optimism and pessimism.
How does technological change affect investment?
New products and new ways of doing things have a big impact on investment decisions.
What happens when capacity utilization is low?
Firms can meet an increase in demand without expanding.
What happens when capacity utilization is high?
Firms must increase investment to meet an increase in demand.
How do business taxes affect investment?
Business decisions depend on the expected after-tax rate of profit.
What is autonomous expenditure?
Spending that does not vary with the current level of disposable income.
What is the aggregate expenditure function?
The function that relates aggregate desired expenditure to national income.
According to Say’s law, there cannot be overproduction of goods and services because:
A: planned aggregate expenditures sometimes fall short of total output.
B:prices and wages are “sticky” or inflexible in the downward direction.
C: demand creates its own supply.
D: supply creates its own demand.
D
The school of thought that emphasizes the natural tendency for an economy to move toward equilibrium full employment is known as the: A: Keynesian school. B: supply-side school. C: rational expectations school. D: classical school.
D
John Maynard Keynes and his followers argued that the Great Depression was primarily the result of:
A: excessive government spending.
B: large budget deficits.
C: the perverse monetary policies of the Fed.
D: insufficient aggregate spending on goods and services.
D
The consumption function shows the relationship between:
A: planned consumption expenditures and disposable income.
B: permanent income and savings.
C: business inventory and real GDP.
D: aggregate demand and aggregate consumption.
A
A movement along the consumption function is caused by a change in: A: consumption. B: expectations. C: aggregate supply. D: disposable income.
D
If people’s real assets increase, then the:
A: economy will move to the right along the existing consumption function.
B: economy will move to the left along the existing consumption function.
C: consumption function will shift down.
D: consumption function will shift up.
E: investment demand curve will shift up.
D
That part of disposable income not spent on consumption is defined as: A: transitory disposable income. B: permanent disposable income. C: disposable income. D: autonomous consumption.E: saving.
E
The marginal propensity to consume is:
A: the change in disposable income divided by the change in consumption.
B: consumption spending divided by disposable income.
C: disposable income divided by consumption spending.
D: the change in consumption divided by the change in disposable income.
E: the change in consumption divided by disposable income.
D
If the marginal propensity to consume = 0.75, then: A: the marginal propensity to save = 0.75.
B: the marginal propensity to save = 1.33.
C: the marginal propensity to save = 0.20.
D: the marginal propensity to save = 0.25.
E: since the marginal propensity to save and the marginal propensity to consume are unrelated, we cannot determine the marginal propensity to save from the information given.
D
The demand curve for investment in the economy as a function of interest rates is: A: vertical. B: horizontal. C: upward sloping. D: downward sloping. E: elliptical.
D
aggregate expenditures-output model
The model that determines the equilibrium level of real GDP by the intersection of the aggregate expenditures and aggregate output (and income) curves.
inflationary gap
The amount by which the aggregate expenditures curve must be decreased to achieve full-employment equilibrium.
recessionary gap
The amount by which the aggregate expenditures curve must be increas ed to achieve full-employment equilibrium.
spending multiplier (SM)
The ratio of the change in real GDP to an initial change in any component of aggregate expenditures, including consumption, investment, government spending, and net exports. As a formula, the spending multiplier equals 1/(1 - MPC) or 1/MPS.
tax multiplier
The change in aggregate expenditures (total spending) resulting from an initial change in taxes. As a formula, the tax multiplier equals 1 - spending multiplier.
Why is government spending an autonomous expenditure?
Government spending can be the result of political decisions regardless of national output.
Why is net exports assumed to be negative?
Spending for imports usually exceeds the value of exports.
What does the term equilibrium mean?
Equilibrium is the point toward which the economy tends.
In the Keynesian model, where is the equilibrium level of GDP?
It is where the value of goods and services produced is equal to the spending for these goods and services.
What is the aggregate expenditures formula?
Aggregate expenditures = C + I + G + (X-M)
How do aggregate expenditures affect the economy?
They pull aggregate output either higher or lower toward equilibrium.
What causes a decrease in real GDP and employment?
Excessive inventories.
Why do excessive inventories cause unemployment?
Firms will cut back production and lay off workers in order not to add to inventories excessively.
What causes an increase in GDP and employment?
Inventory depletion.
What happens when inventories decline too much?
Firms will increase production and hire more workers to meet the demand for their product.
What is the aggregate expenditures-output model?
It determines the equilibrium level of real GDP by the intersection of aggregate expenditures and aggregate output.
How can full employment be reached with aggregate expenditure?
The aggregate expenditure curve must be shifted upward until the full-capacity output is reached.
What is the spending multiplier?
Any initial increase in spending will lead to a multiple increase in GDP.
How does the multiplier work?
Any initial change in spending causes a chain reaction of more spending.
What is the Marginal Propensity to Consume?
MPC is the change in consumption spending resulting from a given change in income.
What is the Marginal Propensity to Save?
MPS is the fraction of any change in real disposable income that households save.
What is the relationship between MPC and MPS?
MPC + MPS = 1
What is the formula for the multiplier?
1 / (1 – MPC)(or)1 / MPS
If the MPS is 1/2, what is the multiplier?
1 / MPS = 1 / 1/2 = 2
What is the GDP gap?
The difference between full employment real GDP and actual real GDP
What is a recessionary gap?
The amount by which aggregate expenditures fall short of the amount required to achieve full employment equilibrium.
What is the Keynesian remedy for a recessionary gap?
Increase autonomous spending by the amount of the recessionary gap.
What can the government do to close a recessionary gap?
•Increase government spending•Lower taxes•Raise transfer payments
What is an inflationary gap?
The amount by which aggregate expenditures exceed the amount required to achieve full employment equilibrium.
What is the Keynesian remedy for an inflationary gap?
Reduce spending by the amount of the inflationary gap.
How can the government close an inflationary gap?
•Cut government spending•Increase taxes•Reduce transfer payments
In the aggregate expenditures-output model, if aggregate expenditures (AE) are greater than GDP, then: A: inventory is accumulated. B: inventory is unchanged. C: employment decreases. D: employment increases.
D
In the aggregate expenditures-output model, if an economy operates above equilibrium GDP, there will be: A: unplanned inventory accumulation. B: unplanned inventory depletion. C: an increase in GDP. D: an increase in employment.
B
In the Keynesian model, investment, government spending, and net exports are treated as autonomous expenditures, which means they are independent of: A: expectations. B: the price level. C: political processes. D: real GDP.
D
At the equilibrium level of real GDP, total production equals total: A: saving. B: investment. C: net exports. D: spending.
D
The formula to compute the spending multiplier is: A: 1/(MPC + MPS).
B: 1/(1 - MPC).
C: 1/(1 - MPS).
D: 1/(C + I).
B
If the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) is 0.80, the value of the spending multiplier is: A: 2. B; 5. C: 8. D: 10.
B
If an economy spends 90 percent of any increase in real GDP, then an increase in investment of $1 billion would result ultimately in an increase in real GDP of: A: $0. B: $0.9 billion. C: $1.0 billion. D: $10 billion.
D
If MPC = 0.80, how much should government spending change to correct a recessionary gap of $500? A; -100. B: +80. C: -80. D: +500. E: +100.
E
If the economy experiences a recessionary gap then:
A: aggregate expenditures exceed the level of spending necessary to provide for full employment.
B: Keynesian economics would recommend a reduction in government spending or an increase in taxes.
C: Keynesian economics would recommend an increase in government spending or a decrease in taxes.
D: the equilibrium level of output and income is above full employment.
C
Assume that an inflationary gap must be closed by reducing aggregate expenditures. If consumers refuse to cut spending on consumption and producers won’t cut demand for investment goods, the President:
A: can do nothing.
B: must build more roads.
C: must borrow from Wall Street.
D: must increase Social Security expenditures.
E: must cut government spending.
E
aggregate demand curve (AD)
The curve that shows the level of real GDP purchased by households, businesses, government, and foreigners (net exports) at different possible price levels during a time period, ceteris paribus.
aggregate supply curve (AS)
The curve that shows the level of real GDP produced at different possible price levels during a time period, ceteris paribus.
classical range
The vertical segment of the aggregate supply curve, which represents an economy at full-employment output.
cost-push inflation
An increase in the general price level resulting from an increase in the cost of production that causes the aggregate supply curve to shift leftward.
demand-pull inflation
A rise in the general price level resulting from an excess of total spending (demand) caused by a rightward shift in the aggregate demand curve.
interest-rate effect
The impact on total spending (real GDP) caused by the direct relationship between the price level and the interest rate.
intermediate range
The rising segment of the aggregate supply curve, which represents an economy as it approaches full-employment output.
keynesian range
The horizontal segment of the aggregate supply curve, which represents an economy in a severe recession.
long-run aggregate supply curve (LRAS)
The curve that shows the level of real GDP produced at different possible price levels during a time period in which nominal incomes change by the same percentage as the price level changes.
net exports effect
The impact on total spending (real GDP) caused by the inverse relationship between the price level and the net exports of an economy.
real balances
The impact on total spending (real GDP) caused by the inverse relationship between the price level and the real value of financial assets with fixed nominal value.
short-run aggregate supply curve (SRAS)
The curve that shows the level of real GDP produced at different possible price levels during a time period in which nominal incomes do not change in response to changes in the price level.
stagflation
The condition that occurs when an economy experiences the twin maladies of high unemployment and rapid inflation simultaneously.
What is the difference between market and aggregate models?
The market model measures physical units whereas the aggregate model measures value.
What is the aggregate demand curve?
The curve shows the level of real GDP purchased by everyone at different price levels during a time period, ceteris paribus.
What does the horizontal axis measure?
The value of final goods and services included in real GDP measured in base year dollars.
What does the vertical axis measure?
It is an index of the overall price level, such as the GDP deflator or the CPI.
Why does the aggregate demand curve slope downward to the right?
•Real balances effect•Interest-rate effect•Net exports effect
What is the real balances effect?
Consumers spend more on goods and services because lower prices make their dollars more valuable.
What is the interest-rate effect?
Assuming fixed credit, an increase in the price level translates through higher interest rates into a lower real GDP.
What is the net exports effect?
A higher domestic price level makes U.S. goods more expensive compared to foreign goods, exports decrease, imports increase, decreasing real GDP.
Decrease in the price level equals?
Increase in the real GDP demanded.
What can cause a shift in the aggregate demand curve?
Consumption, investments, government spending and net exports can change.
Increase in C,I, G, (X-M) equals?
Increase in the aggregate demand curve
What is the aggregate supply curve?
Shows the level of real GDP produced at different price levels during a time period, ceteris paribus.
Why did Keynes assume fixed product prices and wages?
During a deep recession or depression, there are many idle resources in the economy.
Why do idle resources mean fixed prices?
Producers are willing to sell additional output at current prices because there are plenty of resources to go around for everyone who wants them.
Why do idle resources mean fixed wages?
Unemployed workers willing to work for the prevailing wage diminish the power of workers to increase their wages.
What kind of supply curve would explain fixed prices and wages?
A horizontal supply curve
Government spending (G) increases and has what effect?
Aggregate demand increases and the economy moves from E1 to E2. Price level remains constant, while real GDP and employment rise.
According to Keynes, what will a shift in aggregate demand do?
It will restore a depressed economy to full employment.
What is the classical view of the aggregate supply curve?
It is a vertical line at the full employment output.
According to the classical economists, where does the economy normally operate?
The economy normally operates at its full employment level.
How do the classical economists view prices and costs?
The price level of products and production costs change by the same percentage in order to maintain full employment.
Aggregate demand decreases at _____ _______?Unemployment causes a decrease in ________? The economy moves to a level of ____ _____?
full employment
prices
full employment
What are the two types of inflation?
•Cost push•Demand pull
What is cost push inflation?
A rise in the general price level resulting from an increase in the cost of production.
What is stagflation?
High unemployment and rapid inflation exist simultaneously.
What is demand pull inflation?
A rise in the general price level resulting from an excess of total spending.
What determines the business cycle?
Shifts in the aggregate demand and aggregate supply curves.
What happens when both curves increase?
That depends on how much each increases.
Increase in aggregate demand and supply leads to an Increase in ______ _____ and an increase in _______ ________.
real GDP
price level
The aggregate demand curve:
A: shows the level of real GDP purchased in the economy at different possible price levels during a period of time.
B: Shows the level of real GDP produced in the economy at different possible price levels during a period of time.
C: shifts to the left whenever there is an increase in aggregate expenditures.
D: slopes upward.
A
When price level in the United States rises,
A: there is a increased demand for borrowed money.
B: producers’ demand for new machinery increases, contributing to an increase in aggregate demand.
C: Americans tend to buy more foreign goods and services.
D: the French, Canadians, and Japanese would find our exports more attractive.
E: to replenish the value of your real wealth, you would save less and consume more.
C
When the price level falls, the total quantities of goods and services demanded: A: decreases. B: stays the same. C: increases. D: increases and then decreases. E: decreases and then increases.
C
The real balances effect occurs because a higher price level will reduce the real value of people's: A: financial assets. B: wages. C: unpaid debt. D: physical investments.
A
Which of the following would shift the aggregate demand curve to the left? A: An increase in exports. B: An increase in investment. C: An increase in government spending. D: A decrease in government spending.
D
If every household in the United States won a lottery which gave it an extra $50,000 to spend, the:
A: aggregate supply curve would shift to the right. B: aggregate supply curve would shift to the left.
C: general price level would rise causing a movement up the aggregate demand curve.
D: aggregate demand curve would shift to the left. E: aggregate demand curve would shift to the right.
E
Gradual adjustment of prices and wages to an increase in the aggregate demand curve implies that the aggregate supply curve is: A: horizontal. B: Vertical. C: upward sloping but not vertical. D: downward sloping.
C
In the upward-sloping segment of the aggregate supply curve,
A: increases in output are linked to decreases in the price level.
B: increasing prices drag down resource costs.
C: producers can hire more workers without having to raise the wage rate.
D: the economy can increase aggregate supply without prices going up.
E: firms are willing to pay higher wages to get more labor.
E
At low levels of employment, the Keynesian aggregate supply curve: A: tilts downward to the right. B: tilts upward to the right. C: is vertical. D: shows a constant price level. E: shows a rising price level.
D
automatic stabilizers
Federal expenditures and tax revenues that automatically change levels in order to stabilize an economic expansion or contraction; sometimes referred to as nondiscretionary fiscal policy.
balanced budget multiplier
An equal change in government spending and taxes, which changes aggregate demand by the amount of the change in government spending.
budget deficit
A budget in which government expenditures exceed government revenues in a given time period.
budget surplus
A budget in which government revenues exceed government expenditures in a given time period.
discretionary fiscal policy
The deliberate use of changes in government spending or taxes to alter aggregate demand and stabilize the economy.
fiscal policy
The use of government spending and taxes to influence the nation’s spending, employment, and price level.
laffer curve
A graph depicting the relationship between tax rates and total tax revenues.
marginal propensity to consume (MPC)
The change in consumption spending resulting from a given change in income.
marginal propensity to save (MPS)
The change in saving resulting from a given change in income.
spending multiplier (SM)
The ratio of the change in real GDP to an initial change in any component of aggregate expenditures, including consumption, investment, government spending, and net exports. As a formula, spending multiplier equals 1/(1 - MPC) or 1/MPS.