Chapter 3 Flashcards
Review of Chapter 3 (54 cards)
Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics – country’s overall economy
Microeconomics
Microeconomics – consumers, families, and businesses
Fiscal policy
Fiscal policy – taxation and spending decisions influence the economy; these decisions are designed to encourage growth, boost employment, and curb inflation
Monetary policy
Monetary policy – actions that shape the economy by influencing interest rates and the supply of money; controlled by the Bank of Canada
M1 money supply
M1 money supply – all currency – paper bills and metal coins – plus chequing accounts and traveller’s cheques
M2 money supply
M2 money supply – all M1 plus most savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit (low-risk savings vehicles with a fixed term)
What does the Bank of Canada do?
Manages Canada’s monetary policy
Provides banking services for other banks and the government
Coordinates the cheque-clearing process
Maintains the federal government’s chequing account
Keeps the currency supply in good condition
Free market
Free market – private ownership, economic freedom, fair competition, and innovation and hard work
Who do businesses offer value to?
Businesses offer value to:
Customers
Employees
Suppliers
The Fundamental Rights of Capitalism
The right to own a business and keep after-tax profits
The right to private property
The right to free choice
The right to fair competition
Four Degrees of Competition
- Pure competition
- Monopolistic competition
- Oligopoly
- Monopoly
- The foundations of a free market
- Interaction of buyers and sellers
The foundations of a free market: How much can we make/sell? How much will consumers buy? At what price? Interaction of buyers and sellers: Impacts prices Competition
Supply
Supply – the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity that sellers are willing and able to offer for sale; sellers tend to supply a greater quantity as the price rises
Supply curve
Supply curve – a graph of the supply relationship; the supply curve slopes upward to the right showing that the quantity supplied increases as the price rises
Demand
Demand – the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity buyers are willing and can afford to buy; when price falls, consumers tend to buy more
Demand curve
Demand curve – a graph of the demand relationship; the demand curve slopes downward showing that the quantity demanded increases as the price falls
Equilibrium Price
- Forces of supply and demand drive equilibrium price
- The point where supply and demand intersect
- Market price adjusts to the equilibrium price
Socialism
Socialism – the government controls key enterprises; higher taxes designed to distribute wealth through society
Communism
Communism – public ownership of all enterprise; strong central government
What kind of market economy is Canada?
As a market-dominant economy, the Canadian government still owns/supports the postal service, universities, parks, libraries, health care, education, defence, and public works.
Inflation
- The rate of price changes across the economy is another basic measure of economic well-being.
- Inflation means that prices are rising.
- Hyperinflation is when average prices increase more than 50% per month.
Disinflation
Disinflation is when price increases slow down.
Deflation
Deflation is when average prices actually decrease.
How does the government measure prices?
The government measures prices using the consumer price index (CPI) and the producer price index (PPI).