Theme 1: An introduction to markets and market failure Flashcards
Capital goods
Goods produced in order to aid production of consumer goods in the future
Free market
An economy where the market mechanism allocates resources so consumers and producers make decision about what is produced, how to produce it and from whom
Normal goods
YED>0; demand increases as income increases
Renewable resources
Resources which can be replenished, so the stock of resources can be maintained over a period of time
Positive externalities of consumption
Where the social benefits of consumer a good are larger than the private benefits of consuming that good
Market failure
When the free market fails to allocate resources to the best interest of society, so there is an inefficient allocation of scarce resources
Market forces
Forces in free markets which act to reduce prices when there is excess supply and increase them when there is excess demand
Free rider principle
People who do not pay for a public good still receive benefits from it so the private sector will under-provide the good as they cannot make a profit
Social optimum position
Where social costs equal social benefits; the amount which should be produced/consumer in order to maximise social welfare
Perfectly price inelastic good
PED/PED=0; quantity demanded/supplied does not change when price changes
Regulation
Laws to address market failure and promote competition between firms
Labour
One of the four factor of production; human capital
Externalities
The cost of benefit a third party receives from an economic transaction outside of the market mechanism
Unitary price elastic good
When PED/PED=1; a change in price leads to a change in output by the same proportion
Luxury goods
YED>1; an increase in incomes causes an even bigger increase sin demand
Relatively price inelastic good
When PED/PES<1; demand/supply is relatively unresponsive to a change in price so a large change in price leads to a larger change in quantity demanded/supplied
Habitual behaviour
A cause of irrational behaviour; when consumers are in the habit of making certain decisions
Specialisation
The production of a limited range of goods by a company/country/individual so they aren’t self-sufficient and have to trade with others
Opportunity cost
The value of the next best alternative forgone
Equilibrium price/quantity
Where demand equals supply so there are no more market forces bringing about changes to price or quantity sold
Mixed economy
Both the free market mechanism and the government allocate resources
Subsidy
Government payments to a producer to lower their cost of production and encourage them to produce more
Model
A hypothesis which can be proven or tested by evidence; it tends to be mathematical whilst a theory is in words
Private goods
Goods that are rivalry and excludable
Command economy
All factors of production are allocated by the state, so they decide what, how and from whom to produce goods
Social cost/benefit
The cost/benefit to society as a whole due to the economic activity
Normative statements
Subjective statements based on value judgements and opinions; cannot be proven or disproven
Utility
The satisfaction derived from consuming a good
Specific tax
A tax imposed on a good where the value of the tax is dependent on the quality that is bought
Consumer goods
Goods bought and demanded by households and individuals