Topic 3 : Economic Issues Flashcards
aggregate demand formula
AD = C+I+G+(X-M)
consumption
spending by households ~60% of AD
investment
spending by businesses and households that increases the economy’s capacity to produce goods and services
structural govt spending
occurs regardless of the state of the economy
exports
goods and services that Australian businesses sell to other businesses, households and governments overseas
imports
goods and services that Australian businesses, households and the government buy from overseas
aggregate supply
the total output of goods and services in the economy
economic growth
% change in GDP
the increase in the size of a country’s economy over a period of time
nominal GDP (definition)
the dollar value of the goods and services produced in a time period, which depends on the volume of what was produced and the prices of what was produced
nominal GDP (calculation)
((valueyr2 - valueyr1)/valueyr1 ) x100
real gdp
captures only the volume of what was produced. the national output of goods and services adjusted for changes in inflation over time
effect of high multiplier
a higher multiplier will result in additional GDP and economic growth
unemployment rate
the percentage of people in the labourforce who are unemployed
labour force
people who are employed and unemployed
participation rate
the percentage of people in the working-age population that are in the labour force
types of unemployment
cyclical, structural, frictional, underemployment, hidden, seasonal, long term
Cyclical unemployment
unemployment caused by a contraction in economic activity and aggregate demand. This generally occurs in the short-term during periods of economic downturn
Structural unemployment
structural (long-term) changes causing workers to become redundant or displaced. occurs when there is a mismatch between the jobs that are available and the people looking for work. Could result from a lack of required skills or the available jobs are a long way from job seekers, likely to face long term unemployment
frictional unemployment
people who are temporarily unemployed as they move between jobs, or when people transition into and out of the labour force
underemployment
occurs when people are employed, but would like to and are available to work more hours
Hidden unemployment
Those who are unemployed for more than 12 months and who have given up actively seeking work. Occurs when people are not counted as unemployed in the formal ABS labour market statistics but would probably work if they had the chance
Seasonal unemployment
certain work at certain times of the year can create unemployment that changes with seasons. Occurs at different points over the year because of seasonal patterns that affect jobs
Long Term unemployment
unemployed for more than 12 months. This can be linked to structural unemployment if a reskilling process is not undertaken
NAIRU (non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment)
The lowest point of unemployment without causing inflation
Main groups affected by unemployment
Young people
Face high rates of unemployment due to the lack of experience, skills or education. In 2019, the unemployment rate for people aged 15-19 was 7% higher than the national unemployment rate
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Have high rates of unemployment around 3-4 times the national average
Specific Regions
Such as country areas in Australia, where there are limited jobs available
Migrants
Often have limited English skills, may find it harder to obtain work, and hence experience higher unemployment
Economic Effects of unemployment
Opportunity cost
Economy is losing the opportunity of working to full capacity
Lower living standards
Lower purchasing power, disposable income and living standards
Loss of skills
May result in a rise of structural unemployment
Government costs
Increase social welfare and less taxation revenue
Lower wage growth
Greater supply of workers means firms can offer lower wages, which may also lead to increased income inequality as lower skilled workers may find it harder to negotiate wage rises
Intergenerational poverty
Social Effects of unemployment
Increased inequality
Increased inequality can lead to increased mental health issues, crime rates, alcohol abuse and family tensions
Low self esteem and dignity
People may experience reduced motivation which can lead to hidden unemployment
simple multiplier formulas
Multiplier = 𝚫Pr/original k= 1/(1-MPC)
sources of economic growth - demand side
- consumption by households
- investment by businesses
- government spending
- net exports
sources of economic growth - supply side
Technological change Labour productivity Capital productivity Education Research and development Access to more resources (immigration) productivity/participation/population
Benefits of Economic Growth
Higher GDP per capita improves living standards and economic development
Increased employment opportunities
Increased confidence due to high growth rates
Improvement in budgetary position
Increased innovation
more export revenue
higher levels of saving
Costs of Economic Growth
Investment in new capital may cause short-term structural unemployment
May lead to higher inflation as higher AD pushes up prices
Worsened BOGS and increased CAD
Increased income inequality as high income earners disproportionately benefit from increased economic growth
Increased negative externalities due to conflict between growth and sustainability as the use of natural resources fuels short term growth, but threatens long term growth
Ecologically Sustainable Development
Growth rate with economic benefits without environmental destruction. development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
inflation
Sustained increase in the general price level over a period of time
two measures of inflation
headline rate and underlying rate
Headline Rate of inflation
Most commonly used rate
Found using CPI - Aims to capture the general pattern of household spending
Inflation rate = [(current CPI - Previous CPI)/Previous CPI] x100
Doesn’t measure all goods and services
Lags (doesn’t reflect current performance)
Underlying Rate of Inflation
Headline Rate - Volatile Factors
Unusual movements can distort understanding of inflation
More accurate and preferred
Government Inflation Goals
- 2-3%
- avoid hyperinflation
- avoid deflation
causes of inflation
- demand
- cost
- inflationary expectations
- imported inflation
demand inflation
Demand side source
When increases in aggregate demand exceed increases in aggregate supply
demand increases faster than production can, resulting in shortage of goods, consumers compete, increasing prices and causing inflation
Usually occurs during a boom
Causes
Any increase in aggregate demand - consumption, investment, government spending, net exports
natural rate of unemployment
the level of unemployment at which there is no cyclical unemployment
young people - main group affected by u/e
due to lack of experience and/or skills, and/or education. in 2019, the u/e rate for people aged 15-19 was 7% higher than national rate