Ability to pay refer to whether individuals have the effective income to be able to purchase a good. The ability to pay is often used as the justification for a fair tax. A good tax should have various attributes one of which is equality. A fair tax should reflect the ability to pay. For example, …
Accommodative monetary policy means a policy of allowing the money supply to rise in line with national income and the demand for money. Accommodative monetary policy will also usually involve lower interest rates. Accommodative monetary policy may also be known as ‘easy monetary policy’ / loose monetary policy / expansionary monetary policy. The aim of …
Economists attempt to make forecasts for leading economic variables such as Inflation Economic growth House prices Exchange rates Population growth The main importance of economic forecasts is to help policymakers make better decisions. For example, if the economy was forecast to enter into a recession, the government could consider implementing expansionary fiscal policy (higher spending …
Readers Question: If there is a significant slowdown in the rate of Chinese economic growth – how will it affect the UK and other global economies? Summary The Chinese economy has been growing very rapidly, and is now one of the biggest economies in the world. The size of the Chinese economy means it has …
Readers Question: what are the possible consequences/effects of protectionism with regard to the UK and the rest of the world? Protectionism occurs when countries place restrictions on imports into the economy. This can involve higher tariffs (a type of tax on imports) or quotas and embargoes. Other forms of protectionism can be less obvious, such …
Readers Question: How did the financial crisis affect stock markets and bond markets? Stock markets were first hit by the instability in credit markets. When financial markets realised the credit crunch would impact on the wider economy, shares in companies fell further. This is a typical response. When economies enter into a recession, firms make …
Supermarkets have strict criteria for the cosmetic appearance of fresh fruit and vegetables. The result of these criteria is that a high percentage (10-40%) of a farmers harvest can be rejected because the vegetables do not meet these standard rules of conformity. This problem of rejected vegetables was highlighted on a recent BBC programme ‘War …
The London housing market is one of the most expensive places in the world. In Sept, 2015, the average London house price is now just under £500,000 (BBC) Since 2013, house prices in London have risen 40%, defying a weak economy and stagnant growth in average earnings. London house prices are 7% higher than the …