M 1.1 Flashcards
(45 cards)
What is economics?
study of how the worlds scarce resources are allocated to competing uses to satisfy society’s wants
What are positive economic statements?
objective statements that can be tested against facts to be declared either true or false
what are normative economic statements?
a subjective opinion, or value judgement that cannot be declared either true or false
often involve opinions on what individuals, firms or government should do
What is the main purpose of economic activity?
to satisfy society’s needs and wants
What is a need?
something that humans require to survive (food, shelter or warmth)
What is a want?
something non-essential for survival but which people think will improve standard of living
what is economic welfare?
the standard of living or general wellbeing of people in society
What does satisfying societies needs and wants in terms or material and non material things lead to?
increased economic welfare
What does GDP stand for?
gross domestic product
What are the countries economic resources known as?
factors of production
What are factors of production?
a countrys productive economic resources divided into capital, enterprise, land and labour
What are the 4 factors of production?
- capital
- enterprise
- land
- labour
What is capital?
man made physical equipment used to make goods and services. Includes machinary and computer equipment
What is enterprise?
entrepreneurs are individuals who take business risk in combining the other three factors of production in order to produce a good or service
What is Land?
all naturally occuring resources such as minerals, the sea, fertile land and the environment. further divided: renewable and non renewable
What is labour?
people involved in production, sometimes referred to as human capital
What is the basic economic problem?
scarce economic resources compared with society’s unlimited wants
What does the basic economic problem mean?
choices must be made when deciding how to allocate these resources
What are the three economic questions?
- What to produce and in what quantities
- How should goods and services be produced ]
- to whom should goods and services be allocated
What are opportunity costs?
the cost of the next best alternative that you give up when you make a choice
What are economic goods/
those that use up scarce economic resources in their production. most consumer goods
What are free goods?
a good that does not have an opportunity cost in consumption because it does not use up scarce resources
What does PPC stand for?
production possibility curve
What is a PPC?
a diagram which shows the maximum possible output combinations of two goods in an economy, assuming full employment of efficient resources