The 1929 stock market crash was a result of an unsustainable boom in share prices in the preceding years. The boom in share prices was caused by the irrational exuberance of investors, buying shares on the margin, and over-confidence in the sustainability of economic growth. Some economists argue the boom was also facilitated by ‘loose …
In a recent post, we looked at the advantages of free movement of labour. But, what about the problems which might arise from free movement of labour? Firstly, free movement of labour depends on the area in question. To make an easy contrast, initially, the EU was free movement of workers between 12 / 15 …
Definition of free movement of labour – It means that workers are entitled to look for work in another country, without requiring any visa. Free movement of labour is a fundamental principle of the EU. It means EU citizens are entitled to look for a job in another EU country. Also, qualifications are universally accepted …
Summary: Productive efficiency is concerned with the optimal method of producing goods; producing goods at the lowest cost. Allocative efficiency is concerned with the optimal distribution of goods and services. Example: An economy could be productively efficient in producing large numbers of boots – but if they were all for the left foot, it would …
A budget surplus occurs when government tax receipts are greater than government spending. It means the government can either save money or pay off existing national debt. It is worth noting, that budget surpluses are quite rare in the past 120 years. Politicians have sometimes attempted to enshrine budget surplus into law but what are …
Economic growth means an increase in real GDP – an increase real incomes. This is usually considered beneficial, but there are also potential costs of economic growth such as: Inflation Boom and bust economic cycles Current account deficit Environmental costs – pollution, loss of non-renewable resources Congestion Potential of widening inequality. The costs of economic …
A look at the extent to which policy makers face a trade off between unemployment and inflation. The Phillips curve suggests there is a trade off between inflation and unemployment, at least in the short term. Other economists are more sceptical.
GDP per capita is a measure of average income per person in a country. GDP stands for Gross Domestic Product. This measure National income / National Output and National expenditure. GDP per capita divides the GDP by the population. Real GDP per capita takes into account inflation. World Map of GDP per Capita