Unit 2 Flashcards
Macro-economics
The study of the whole economy
The four main macro-economic objectives of the government
Full employment
Economic growth
Achieving price stability
Balancing exports and imports
Full employment
Everyone who is able and willing to work has a job. The workforce includes only those who are working plus the unemployed who are looking for a job
Economic growth
Growth in output of the economy over time - a growth of real GDP over time
Price stability
Keeping inflation low
Balancing exports and imports
A balance between exports and imports over time
Aggregate demand
The total demand
Interest rate policy
Using interest rates to change the level of AD in the economy
Gross Domestic Product
The total value of goods and services produced in the country in a year
Economic Growth rate =
(change in GDP / original GDP) x 100
What are the causes of economic growth?
Investment
Changes in technology
A larger workforce
Education and training
Natural resources
Government policies
How does investment cause economic growth?
More investment (spending on capital goods) means the economy has the capacity to produce more goods and services in the future
How does a large workforce cause economic growth?
The economy can produce more if it has more workers
How do changes in technology cause economic growth?
Technical progress means the quality of capital goods improves, and a given quantity of capital can now produce more output than before
How does education and training cause economic growth?
The more educated, trained and skilled the workers, the higher the output of the country is likely to be
How do natural resources cause economic growth?
The discovery or development of natural resources can be a stimulus to economic growth
How do government policies cause economic growth?
The government takes responsibility for the macro-economic management of the economy
Benefits of economic growth
A rise in material living standards
A rise in the welfare of the population
A rise in employment and a fall in unemployment
A reduction in poverty
Costs of economic growth
Enviromental costs
Congestion
Loss of non-renewable resources
Lower quality of life
Inequalities of income and wealth
Inflation
How does economic growth cause a rise in material living standards?
If the GDP rises at a faster rate than the population, the GDP per capita rises. This means everyone has more output available to consume on average
How does economic growth cause a rise in the welfare of the population?
The government is able to devote more resources to services such as health and education
How does economic growth cause a rise in employment and a fall in unemployment?
As output rises, more workers will be required to produce it, and the unemployment rate will fall
How does economic growth cause a reduction in poverty?
As output and incomes rise, the government can raise living standards of those with lower incomes by providing benefits from progressive taxes
How does economic growth cause environmental costs?
Greater output and consumption can lead to more pollution and global warming
How does economic growth cause congestion?
Economic growth is often concentrated in certain urban areas, which can become overcrowded and congested
How does economic growth cause a loss of non-renewable resources?
Economic growth uses resources that can’t be replaced, including oil, natural gas, natural environments (rainforests), metals and other minerals
How does economic growth cause inequalities of income and wealth?
The benefits of growth are unevenly spread. Some people become better off, while others are ‘left behind’
How does economic growth cause inflation?
Sometimes the rate of economic growth is too fast for the economy to respond without a rise in the general price level
Unemployment
When workers who are able and willing to work are unable to find employment
How can unemployment be measured?
Claimant Count
Labour Force Survey
Claimant Count
Counts the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits (such as JSA)
Labour Force Survey
A survey of a sample of households, counting people as unemployed if they are actively seeking work but do not have a job (in the week of the survey)
What are the six types of unemployment?
Voluntary
Seasonal
Frictional
Structural
Technological
Cyclical
Voluntary unemployment
This is caused by people choosing not to work
Seasonal unemployment
This is caused by seasonal workers not being employed at other times of year, for example in the tourist industry