mt1 Flashcards
(82 cards)
Economics Definition
study of choices ppl make, actions ppl take
- how ppl use scarce resources to meet their wants and needs
Cost benefit analysis
-if benefits (x) > costs (x) = do activity x
-if costs (x) > benefits (x) = dont do activity x
-if marginal benefits (x) > marginal costs (x) = do activity x
2 branches of econ
micro economics
macroeconomics
Microeconomics
study of choices and actions of individual economic units ex. households, firms
Macroeconomics
Study of behaviour of entire economy
ex. unemployment, inflation, change in national income level , international trade / finance
how do u judge economic allocations
based on:
- efficiency
-equity
-moral and political consequences
types of efficiency
productive and allocative
productive efficiency
-mix of goods and produced at the lowest possible resource of opportunity cost
-as much output as possible produced w given amnt of resource = production efficiency
- provide the highest products to society at the lowest cost
allocative efficiency
mix of goods and services produced only what society desires
-ppl who desire the good the most obtain it
equity
- distribution of resources in a fair matter
-not popular w economists
positive economics
- statements= what ifs
-tested by putting it against observable facts
-ex. if coffee price increases = less ppl drinking coffee
normative economics
- statements: what ought to be
- depends on values and beliefs- cant be tested
-ex. taxes should be used to redistribute income form high income to low income groups
why is econ a science
- social science: seeks to explain how people act
- uses models, theories, assumptions
correlation fallacy
incorrect belief that correlation implies causation
post hoc fallacy
1st event causes 2nd event bc 1st occured before the 2nd
- special case of correlation fallacy
fallacy of composition
incorrect belief that whats true for individuals is also true for the group
production possibilities frontier
-shows combos of goods that can be produced when factors of production are utilize to full potential
-drawn for given level of society’s inputs ( labour, natural resources, capital) + given state of society’s technology
what does investing do to a PPF
increased capital good = outward shift of ppf
- each unit of labour increases productivity therefore it increases capital good produced and increases economic growth
how can a PPF be inefficient
-if capital good doesnt increase then if demand for consumer goods increases the demands cant be met therefore its inefficient
opportunity costs
-benefits given up by not using resources in the next best alternative way
opportunity / production= opportunity cost
scarcity problem
with scarcity, ppl have to make choices and with choices lead to opportunity cost
law of increasing cost
-in order to produce extra amnts of 1 good, society must give up ever increasing amounts of the others good which leads to opportunity costs when producing one commodity
-therefore resources not equally productive in all activities
PPF characteristics
-points on or inside the PPF= attainable (have reosurces and tech to produce)
-points above the PPF= unattainable
-points on the line = efficient
-points below the line = inefficient (ex. unemployment)
what causes PPF to shift OUT
- increase in human capital (more and smarter workers)
- capital accumulation: investments into equipment
- technological innovation
- discover more resources