Theme 2 Flashcards
Actual economic growth
The rate of growth of GDP in a period
Aggregate demand
The total amount of spending on goods and services produced in an economy during a period of time
Aggregate demand (AD) curve
The relationship between the level of aggregate demand and the overall price level; it shows planned expenditure at any given possible overall price level
Monetary Policy Committee
The body within the Bank of England responsible for the conduct of monetary policy
Voluntary unemployment
Situation arising when an individual chooses not to accept a job at the going wage rate
Automatic stabilisers
Effects by which government expenditure adjusts to offset the effects of recession and boom without the need for active intervention. For example, during an economic boom, the government will receive more tax revenues because people earn more, and so pay more income tax (note the tax rate doesn’t change, the amount received just becomes higher). During an economic boom, there will also be a fall in unemployment so the government will spend less on unemployment benefits.
Average propensity to consume
The proportion of income that households devote to consumption. Note the difference between the average and the marginal propensity to consume.
Withdrawals
Where money flows out of the circular flow in the form of savings, taxation, and imports
Balance of payments
A set of accounts showing the transactions conducted between residents of a country and the rest of the world
Bank rate
The interest rate that is set by the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England in order to reach its inflation target through demand management
Business cycle
A phenomenon whereby GDP fluctuates around its underlying trend, following a regular pattern
Capital productivity
A measure of output per unit of capital
Circular flow of income, expenditure and output
A model of the economy which shows the movement of goods and services between households and firms and their corresponding payments in money terms
Claimant count of unemploymnet
The number of people claiming the Jobseeker’s Allowance each month
Consumer price index (CPI)
A measure of the general level of prices in the UK, the rate of change of which has been used as the government’s inflation target since January 2004
Consumption
Total planned household spending
Consumption function
The relationship between consumption and disposable income. Its position depends on the other factors that affect how much households spend on consumption
Cost-push inflation
Inflation initiated by an increase in the costs faced by firms, arising on the supply side
Crowding out
A process by which an increase in government expenditure crowds out private sector activity by raising the cost of borrowing
Cyclical unemployment
Unemployment that arises during the downturn of the economic cycle, such as a recession
Deflation
A fall in the average level of prices (negative inflation)
Demand-deficient unemployment
Unemployment that arises because of a deficiency of aggregate demand in the economy, so that the equilibrium level of output is below full employment
Demand-pull inflation
Inflation initiated by an increase in aggregate demand
Depreciation
The fall in value of physical capital equipment over time due to wear and tear
Discouraged workers
People who have been unable to find employment and who are no longer looking for work
Disinflation
A fall in the rate at which inflation is increasing
Disposable income
The income that households have to devote to consumption and saving, after taking into account payments of direct taxes and transfer payments
Economically inactive
Those people of working age who are not looking for work, for a variety of reasons
Exchange rate
The price of one currency in terms of another
Export-led growth
A strategy for achieving rapid economic growth through the promotion of export activity
Fiscal policy
Decisions made by the government on its expenditure, taxation, and borrowing
Workforce
People who are economically active - either in employment or unemployed
Frictional unemployment
Unemployment associated with job search (i.e. people who are between jobs)