Principles of Economics Flashcards
What is Principle 1?
People Face Trade Offs
A concept that states that society has limited resources and therefore cannot produce all the goods and services people wish to have.
Scarcity
The study of how society manages its scarce resources
Economics
What is a classic trade-off where the society weighs its expenditure on national defense and consumer goods?
“Guns and Butter”
Laws that require firms to reduce pollution that raise costs of producing goods and services is an example of a trade-off on?
Clean environment and high level of income
It means that society is getting the maximum benefits from its scarce resources.
Efficiency
It means that benefits are distributed uniformly among society’s members.
Equality
What is Principle 2?
The cost of Something is What you Give Up to Get It
Because people face trade-offs, making decisions requires comparing Blank and Blank of alternative courses of actions
Costs and Benefits
An item that you give up to get another item.
Opportunity Cost
What is Principle 3?
Rational People Think at the Margin
People who systematically and purposefully do the best that they can to achieve their objectives
Rational People
Economists use this term to describe a small incremental adjustment to an existing plan of action
Marginal Change
What is Principle 4?
People respond to incentives
Something that induces a person to act
Incentive
A tax on gasoline is an example of?
Incentive
Principles under How People Make Decisions
- People Face Trade-Offs
- The cost of Something is What you Give Up to Get It
- Rational People Think at the Margin
- People respond to incentives
Principles under How People Interact
- Trade can Make everyone Better Off
- Markets are usually a good way to organize economic activity
- Governments can sometimes improve market outcomes
Allows each person to specialize in the activities he or she does best.
Trade
What is Principle 5?
Trade can Make everyone Better Off
What is Principle 6?
Markets are usually a good way to organize economic activity
An economy that allocates resources through decentralized decisions of many firms and households as they interact in market for goods and services
Market Economy
According to Adam Smith, Households and Firms are guided by an?
Invisible Hand
Prevents prices from adjusting naturally to supply and demand
Government