Macro Midterm 2 Flashcards
(98 cards)
Productivity
explains why living standards vary so much from country to country, quantity of goods and services produced from each unit of labor
Determinants of productivity
physical capital (K/L), human capital (H/L), natural resources (N/L), and technological knowledge (A)
Physical capital
stock of equipment and structures used to produce goods and services ex. saws, drill presses
Human capital
knowledge and skills that workers acquire through education, training, and experience
Natural resources
land, rivers, mineral deposits, and other resources provided by nature and used as inputs into production -> renewable and nonrenewable
Technological knowledge
understanding of the best ways to produce goods and services
What is one way to raise future productivity?
devote more current resources to the production of capital
Diminishing returns
as the stock of capital rises, the extra output produced from an additional unit of capital falls
capital’s diminishing returns called diminishing marginal product of capital
Statement on the economy is the long run
the higher saving rate leads to a higher level of productivity and income but not to higher growth in these variables
Catch-up effect
Property of diminishing returns to capital implication: other things being equal, it is easier for a country to grow quickly if it start out relatively poor
Foreign direct investment
capital investment that is owned and operated by a foreign entity
Foreign portfolio investment
an investment financed with foreign money but operated by domestic residents
Externality
effect of one person’s actions on the well-being of a bystander
Brain drain
emigration of highly educated workers to rich countries, where these workers can earn more
Other than education what does human capital refer to?
expenditures that lead to a healthier population -> increases productivity and raises living standards
nutrition is one key factor
Another way policymakers can foster economic growth?
protecting property rights and promoting political stability
Property rights
ability of people to exercise authority over the resources they own, need to be respected for this process to work
threat: political instability -> economic prosperity depends in part on favorable political institutions
Inward-oriented policies
aim to increase productivity and living standards by avoiding interaction with the rest of the world
Outward-oriented policies
integrate these countries into the world economy, international trade in goods and services can improve economic well-being of a country’s citizens
Public good
once one person discovers an idea, it enters society’s pool of knowledge, and other people can freely use it
Financial system
consists of institutions that help match one person’s saving with another person’s investment
Large population and it’s affect on economy
large population means more workers are available to produce goods and services
Two categories of the financial system
financial markets and financial intermediaries
Financial markets
institutions through which a person who wants to save can directly supply finds to a person who wants to borrow