Main topics in macroeconomics Balance of payments Policies to reduce current account deficit Budget deficit Policies to reduce budget deficit Economic growth Causes of Boom and Bust Cycles Policies to increase economic growth Theories of economic growth Recessions Environmental economics Fiscal policy Globalisation Exchange rates Effect of an appreciation Effect of devaluation European Union The …
Definition of the Accelerator Effect The accelerator effect states that investment levels are related the rate of change of GDP. Thus an increase in the rate of economic growth will cause a correspondingly larger increase in the level of investment. But, a fall in the rate of economic growth will cause a fall in investment …
Readers question: what are the advantages and disadvantages of devaluation? Devaluation is the decision to reduce the value of a currency in a fixed exchange rate. A devaluation means that the value of the currency falls. Domestic residents will find imports and foreign travel more expensive. However domestic exports will benefit from their exports becoming …
Readers question: What are the functions of government in a capitalist economy? In summary, the economic functions of a government include: Protection of private property and maintaining law and order / national defence. Raising taxes. Providing public services not provided in a free market (e.g. health care, education, street lighting) Limit market failure through the …
The essential element of Keynesian economics is the idea the macroeconomy can be in disequilibrium (recession) for a considerable time. To help recover from a recession, Keynesian economics advocates higher government spending (financed by government borrowing) to kickstart an economy in a slump. Keynesian economics includes Disequilibrium in macroeconomy (insufficient demand) Imperfect labour markets (e.g. …
Monetary policy (mainly interest rates) used to be managed by the government. However, in recent years, there has been a trend to give monetary policy to independent Central Banks. The idea is that Central Banks will be more independent of political considerations and willing to keep inflation low – even if there are political costs …
Readers Question: Does government increases or decrease economic efficiency. Kindly explain as I have tried to look for the reasons. This is an open-ended question, which raises many different issues. To some, on the political right, it is a simple matter of governments bad, markets good. Others are apt to see the government as a …
Involuntary unemployment is a situation where workers are willing to work at the market wage or just below but are prevented by factors beyond their control. These factors could include deficiency of aggregate demand, labour market inflexibilities, implicit wage bargaining and efficiency wage theory. In Keynesian theory, involuntary unemployment is associated with insufficient aggregate demand …