An examination of consumer and producer sovereignty. Also, an evaluation of which is stronger – who drives markets – is it, consumers or producers? Definition consumer sovereignty The ability and freedom of consumers to choose from a range of different goods and services. It means that ultimately it is consumers who will decide what is …
Definition of creative destruction This refers to the process of how capitalism leads to a constantly changing structure of the economy. Old industries and firms, which are no longer profitable, close down enabling the resources (capital and labour) to move into more productive processes. Creative destruction means that the company closures and job losses are good …
Q. How does the Bank of England decide and set interest rates? The Bank of England set the repo rate. This is sometimes known as the ‘base rate’. It is the interest rate at which commercial banks (like Lloyds and Natwest) borrow from the Bank of England. The Bank of England can control liquidity and …
Herding behaviour refers to how individual decisions are influenced by group behaviour. It stems from the observation that if a herd of animals starts moving in one direction, all the animals want to follow the herd. Why herding behaviour occurs Following the crowd. In economics, we can see a similar behaviour. For example, if individuals …
Market failure occurs when the free market leads to an inefficient allocation of resources. See – types of market failure Potential market failure in housing includes Homelessness – but empty housing Expensive cost of housing and inequality. Geographical immobility (regional difference in house prices) Boom and bust in house prices and effect on macroeconomy Housing …
Readers Question: what is meant by consumer surplus? Can firms reduce or eliminate consumer surplus? Consumer Surplus is the difference between the price that consumers pay and the price that they are willing to pay. On a supply and demand curve, it is the area between the equilibrium price and the demand curve For example, …
An explanation of the inverse relationship between bond yields and the price of bonds Readers Question: Why does buying securities reduce their yield? Suppose the government issued a £1000, 5-year treasury bond at an interest rate of 5%. This means that if you bought the treasury bill at £1,000 you will receive a fixed interest …
Antitrust policy refers to government intervention in markets dominated by monopolies and abuse of monopoly power. In the UK, antitrust policy is better known as simply competition policy, with the OFT and Competition and Markets authority investigating mergers and abuse of monopoly power. In the US, antitrust become important in the late nineteenth century, when …