Economics 6EC01 Definitions

Section 1.1 Competitive Markets: Demand and Supply

Economics as a social science: It is concerned with human beings and the social
systems by which they organize their activities to satisfy basic material needs (eg,
education, knowledge, food, golf and shelter)
Economics: Concerned with the production of goods and services, and the consumption
of these goods and services. Every country whether rich or poor has to make choices and
is confronted with the key economic problem of scarcity.
Macroeconomics: The branch of economics which studies the working of the economy
as a whole, or large sections such as all households, all business and government. The
focus is on aggregate situations such as economic growth, inflation, unemployment,
distribution of income and wealth, and external viability.
Microeconomics: The branch of economics that studies individual units i.e. sections of
households, firms and industries and the way in which they make economic decisions.
(both macro and microeconomics look at the three basic questions below)
Positive Statement: A statement that can be verified by empirical observation i.e.
Brazil has the largest income gap in Latin America.
Normative Statement: a value judgement about what ought or should happen, i.e.
more money should be spent on teachers salaries and less on WMDs.
Scarcity: A situation where unlimited wants exist but the resources available to meet
them are limited.
Resource allocation: The way that resources within an economy are split between their
various uses the way in which resources are used.
Factors of Production:
Land: natural resources, i.e trees, ocean, fertile land, minerals, sunshine
Labor: human resources, physical or mental
Capital: capital resources, man-made resources used in the production process
i.e. machines in a factory
Enterprise: organizing the above three in the production of goods or services
Ceteris Paribus: All things being equal one of the assumptions used in many
economic models, where an individual factor is changed while all others are held
constant. (Use it!!)
Choice: The result of the economic problem of scarcity, and how you allocate resources
to deal with the economic problem.

Utility: Benefits or satisfaction gained from consuming goods and services hard to
measure but we assume consumers make decisions based on maximizing utility.
Opportunity Cost: Cost measured in terms of the next best alternative forgone.
Economic Good: Things people want that are scarce there is an opportunity cost
involved.
Free Good: Commodities that have no price and no opportunity cost, i.e fresh air and
sunshine
Production Possibility Curve
A curve showing all the possible combinations of two goods that a country can produce
within a specified time with all its resources fully and efficiently used. The boundary
between what is attainable and what is unattainable, given the current resources.
Public sector: That part of the economy where goods and services are provided by the
government, i.e. public hospitals, roads, schools, parks and gardens.
Private sector: That part of the economy that is characterized by private ownership of
the means of production by profit seeking individuals.
Command Economy: An economy where all economic decisions are made by a central
authority. Usually associated with a socialist or communist economic system
Free Market Economy: an economy where all economic decisions are taken by
individual households and firms, with no government intervention.
Mixed Economy: an economy where economic decisions are made partly by the
government and partly through the market. (nearly every economy in the world)
Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (a key
definition from the UN in 1987)
Economic Growth is the increase in a countrys output over time; that is an increase in
national income.
Economic Development is a much broader concept that purely economic growth,
involving non-economic and often quite intangible improvements in the standard of
living, for example freedom of speech, freedom from oppression, health care, education
and employment
It is very difficult to totally define as it involves normative or value judgments (always
state this!!), but remember some areas can be quantified as well.

Market: an organization or arrangement through which goods and services are

exchanged do not have to physically meet markets can be local (bikes in Fort
Bonifacio), national (cars in the Philippines) or international (mobile phone market for
the world)
Price mechanism: is the process by which prices rise or fall as a result of changes in
demand and supply. Signals and incentives are given to producers and consumers to
produce more or less or consume more or less.
Perfect competition: A market structure where there are many firms, where there is
freedom of entry into the industry, where all firms produce an identical product, and
where all firms are price takers figure 4.1 shows the industry and the firm.
Monopolistic competition: a market structure where, like perfect competition there are
many firms and freedom of entry, but where each firm produces a differentiated product,
and thus they have some control over the price. Examples: restaurants, hairdressers
Oligopolistic competition: a market structure dominated by only a few firms or where a
product is supplied by only a few firms (there may be many firms but it is dominated by
only a few) examples: car industry in the USA, mobile phone industry.
Monopoly: where is there is only one dominant firm in the industry remember they
dont have to control 100%, example: Microsoft is a monopoly sometimes hard to
define. A bus company may have a monopoly over bus travel in a city but not all forms
of transport extent of monopoly power depends on the closeness of substitutes.

Demand and Supply

Price Mechanism: is the means for allocating resources through supply and demand in a
market arriving at an equilibrium price. Prices act as a signal to firms and consumer to
adjust their economic behavior.
Demand: is the quantity which buyers are willing to purchase of a particular good or
service at a given price over a given period of time, all things being equal.
Law of demand: consumers will demand more of a good at a lower price and less at a
higher price, ceteris paribus this is an inverse relationship
Demand Function: is the relationship between quantity demanded (Qd) and price. The
relationship can be shown mathematically as an equation:

Qd= a - bP
The term is a constant representing the non-price determinants of demand. A change in a
will shift the whole demand curve to the right or left, while a change in b will change the
slope (elasticity) of the demand curve.

Normal Goods: Goods where demand increases as income increases eg cars in the PI.
Inferior Goods: Goods where demand falls as income increase i.e. buses in Manila
but many gray areas i.e. in many MDCs (The Netherlands) bikes are considered a
normal good as people become aware of environmental and health issues whereas in
China bikes would now be an inferior good)
Complements: Two good that consumed together. A change in the price of one will
have an inverse effect on demand and price of the other.
Substitutes: Goods that can be used for the same purpose and are in competitio0n with
one another, and are therefore alternatives for each other. Substitutes will have positive
cross elasticity of demand
Giffen Good: A particular type of inferior good where if the price of the good rises,
people will actually demand more due to the income effect and lack of close substitutes
generally staple foods, so if the price goes up they can buy less other foods so they end
up buying more of the staple foods.
Veblen Good: Argument that some goods are bought as a display of wealth for
ostentatious reasons - so if price rises, people will buy more of them and buy less when
they are cheaper.
Supply: The quantity which sellers are willing to sell of a particular good or service at a
given price at a given point in time.
Law of supply: Suppliers will supply more of a good at a higher price and less at a
lower price all things being equal a positive relationship.
Supply Function: is the relationship between quantity supplied (Qs) and price. The
relationship can be shown mathematically as an equation:

Qs= c - dP
The term is a constant representing the non-price determinants of supply. A change in c
will shift the whole supply curve to the right or left, while a change in d will change the
slope (elasticity) of the supply curve.
Equilibrium Price: The price at which the quantity buyers demand of a product equals
the quantity suppliers are willing to supply so the market is cleared.
Allocative Efficiency: Refers to the efficiency with which markets are allocating
resources. A market will be efficient when it is producing the right goods for the right
people at the right time. Another way of looking at it is you cannot make someone better
off without making someone else worse off.
Consumer Surplus: Is when consumers are able to by a good for less than they were
willing to pay. It is the area between the demand curve and equilibrium price.

Producer Surplus: Is the difference between the minimum price a producer would
accept to supply a given quantity of a good and the price actually received. It is the gap
between the Supply Curve (the marginal cost curve) and the equilibrium price.

Section 1.2 Elasticity

Elasticity: the measure of responsiveness in one variable when another changes.
PED: The responsiveness of the quantity demanded to a change in price.
PED formula: PED = % QD
% Price
PES: The responsiveness of a quantity supplied to a change in price.
PES formula: PES = % Qs
% Price
Cross Price Elasticity Definition: the responsiveness of a demand in one good to a
change in the price of another
Formula: CEDab = % Qd a
% Price b
Income Elasticity of Demand Definition: the responsiveness of demand to a change in
consumer incomes
Formula: YED = %_ Qd
% Y
Perfectly Inelastic: Means that one variable is unresponsive to changes in another.
Change in price will have no effect on change in quantity demanded or quantity supplied
Perfectly elastic: Means that one variable is unresponsive to changes in another. Any
change in price results in supply or demand falling to zero.

Section 1.3 Government Intervention

Subsidy: Financial assistance made by governments to enterprises which will lower the
price and increase production, effectively a negative tax i.e. payments to producers to
assist with expansion
Direct tax: is a tax upon income it directly taxes wages, rent, interest and profit
Indirect tax: is an expenditure and sales tax upon goods and services collected by
sellers and passed onto governments

Flat rate or specific tax: when a specific amount is imposed on a good. i.e. $3 on
every bottle of alcohol
Ad Valorem tax: is a tax expressed as a percentage most common form of indirect tax
when the price of a good changes the tax going to the government automatically
changes as well
Incidence: who actually pays the tax, what percentage is paid by the sellers/producers
and what percentage is paid by the buyers/consumers
Government revenue: The amount of government revenue that will be achieved
through the tax.
Resource allocation: How will resource allocation change with the imposition of the
tax.
Price Ceiling or Maximum pricing: Prices are imposed below the equilibrium price
and are designed to help consumers by making prices cheaper than they would otherwise
be.
Price floor or Minimum pricing: Prices are imposed above the market equilibrium,
designed to help producers by making prices higher than they would otherwise be.
Parallel Market (black or informal): Is unrecorded activity where no tax is paid and
regulations can be avoided difficult to measure but is can vary from 5% to 20% in
various economies. One possible way of measurement is the difference between National
Income and National Expenditure .

Section 1.4: Market Failure

Market Failure: When a market fails to produce efficient outcomes, and in particular
does not achieve allocative efficiency.
Externalities: Costs or benefits of economic activity which are met by others rather then
the party which causes them.
Positive externalities (also called social benefits): Benefits of economic activity that
are not accounted for in production costs or price. i.e. Vaccination for flu will benefit all.
Negative externalities (also called social costs): Costs of economic activity that are not
accounted for in production costs or price, i.e pollution from nearby chemical factory is
imposed on others outside the economic activity.

Public goods: Goods and services that everyone can consume at the same time, and are
non-rivalrous and non-excludable (see below) and therefore would not be normally
provided by the private market, i.e parks, street lighting, defense.
Publicly provided goods: Goods and services that would be provided by the market but
because of their positive externalities are wholly or partly provided by the government,
i.e education, health care.
Private goods: Goods and services that are excludable and rivalrous and are therefore
provided by the market.
Rivalry: A good is rivalrous if the use of it by one person prevents the use of another, i.e
pen, computer.
Excludable: People are excluded from using the good unless they pay a price for it.
Merit good: A good with positive externalities that benefit other people, i.e education
the market will only provide at a private optimum level and hence under produce
(provide) the socially optimum level. So an underprovision of merit goods!
Demerit good: A good with negative externalities that has costs for society, i.e over
consumption of alcohol impairs judgement, can cause violence and is a cause of many
road accidents market price of alcohol does not reflect social costs. So an
overprovision of demerit goods.
Free riders: Those who benefit from a good or service without paying a share or its cost
this is why the market will not provide public goods.
Internalize the externality: Making the user pay or be responsible.
Tradable Permits (carbon credits): A process whereby each country is allocated
certain levels of pollution (or carbon emissions). Countries that do not use their quota
can then trade their permits to countries that have used more than their quota. Creates a
market and therefore an incentive system to reduce pollution and give possible funds to
some LDCs.
Assymetric information: When one party to a transaction has access to relevant
information that the other party doesnt, i.e. doctor.
Principal-Agent Dilemma: When employing an agent, the principal may not be sure if
they are working in their (principals) best interest or their own (agents) best interest.
The principal faces information asymmetry and risk with regards to whether the agent has
effectively completed a contract.
Market failure occurs When social costs and benefits are not reflected in the market
price, and the market mechanism does not these cost and benefits.

Market mechanism: The process by which prices rise or fall as a result of changes in
demand and supply. Signals and incentives are given to producers and consumers to
produce more or less or consume more or less.
Allocatively efficient output: This occurs where marginal social cost equals marginal
social benefit (MSC = MSB) this is called the socially optimum level or output.

Section 1.5 Theory of the Firm and Market Structures

Fixed factor/costs: an input that cannot be increased in supply
within a given time period (short-run)
e.g. existing factory
Variable factor/costs: an input that can be increased in supply
within a given time period (long-run)
e.g. raw materials or electricity
Productivity: the amount of output per unit of input
increases in productivity mean greater production from the same
resources
we can look at labor productivity, capital productivity and multi-factor
productivity
Short-run: the period of time when at least one factor is fixed
this will vary depending on the industry
e.g. shipping company may take 3 years to build a new ship, whereas a
farmer might be able to buy new land and plant within a year
Law of diminishing returns: when one or more factors are fixed,
there will come a point beyond which the extra output from additional
units of the variable factor will diminish
Fixed costs: total costs that do not vary with the amount of output
produced
Variable costs: total costs that do vary with the amount of output
produced
Total cost: the sum of total fixed costs and total variable costs
TC = TFC + TVC
Average cost: total costs per unit of output: AC = TC
Q
Average fixed cost: total fixed costs per unit of output:
AFC = TC - TVC
Average variable costs: AVC = TVC
Q
Marginal cost: the cost of producing one more unit of output
Long-run: the period of time long enough for all factors to be
variable

Constant returns to scale: this is where a given percentage

increase in inputs will lead to the same increase in output
Increasing returns to scale: this is where a given percentage
increase in inputs will lead to a larger percentage increase in output
Decreasing returns to scale: this is where a given increase in
inputs will lead to a smaller percentage increase in output
Economies of Scale: when increasing the scale of production leads
to a lower cost per unit of output
so if a firm is getting increasing returns to scale from its factors of
production then smaller and smaller amounts of factors per unit are
needed therefore average cost must be reduced.
Diseconomies of Scale: where the costs per unit of output increase
as the scale of production increases.
Long Run: all costs are variable in the long run
Long Run Marginal Cost: Is the extra cost of producing one more
unit of output assuming that all factors are variable and the
assumption of least cost method of production
Total Revenue: firms total earnings from a specified level of sales
within a specified period
TR = P x Q
Average Revenue: is the amount that the firm earns per unit sold
AR = TR
Q
Marginal Revenue: the total extra revenue by selling one more unit
(per period of time)
MR = in TR
in Q
Price taker: a firm that is too small to influence the market price i.e.
it has to accept the price given by the intersection of demand and
supply in the whole market
Price maker: a firm that has some power to dictate the price it
charges for its product

 a situation where there is little competition e.g. an oligopolistic

or monopolist market structure
Profit: TR TC
Profit maximization: where MC=MR and the greatest gap between
TR and TC

Normal Profit: returns or earnings needed to keep a firm operating

- this profit is needed to cover fixed and variable costs as well as
opportunity cost
part of cost structure so therefore included in total cost
an element of risk factor is also part of supernormal profit
Supernormal profit: any profit above normal profit also known as
abnormal profit
Economic Cost = accounting cost (fixed costs + variable costs) and
opportunity cost
Productive Efficiency: is achieved when firms produce at the lowest
possible average cost curve
Allocative Efficiency: is achieved when resources are allocated in a
way which maximizes consumers satisfaction - sometimes called
economic efficiency; MC = AC
Monopoly: where is there is only one dominant firm in the industry
remember they dont have to control 100% e.g. Microsoft is a
monopoly
sometimes hard to define. A bus company may have a monopoly
over bus travel in a city but not all forms of transport extent of
monopoly power depends on the closeness of substitutes
A natural monopoly: a situation where the LRAC curve would be
lower if an industry were under a monopoly than if shared by two or
more firms e.g. electricity transmission via a national grid - often
utilities
Contestable markets: this is a new theory that suggests monopolies
will be both productively and allocatively efficient if they need to stop
competitors entering the market.

Non Price Competition: Competition based not on price but factors

such as service, product differentiation, R and D, advertising.
Collusive oligopoly: where oligopolies agree (formally or informally)
to limit competition between themselves
they may set output quotas, fix prices, limit product promotion
or development or agree not to poach each others markets
they do this reduce uncertainty, and to maintain industry
profits.
Non-collusive oligopoly: where oligopolies have no agreement
between themselves, think kinked demand curve here.
Perfect oligopoly: When at few firms produce an identical product.
Imperfect oligopoly. When a few firms produce a differentiated product.
Duopoly: When there are only two firms in an industry

Cartel: a formal collusive agreement between a small number of

firms.
eg OPEC
Tacit collusion: where oligopolists take care not to engage in price
cutting, excessive advertising and other forms of competition
Price leadership: where firms (the followers) choose the same price
as that set by a dominant firm in the industry (the leader)
Game Theory: The mathematical technique analyzing the behavior
of decision-makers that are dependent on each other, and use
strategic behavior to anticipate the behavior of their rivals.
i.e. The prisoners dilemma
Kinked Demand Curve: A model developed to show price
inflexibility of firms that do not compete.
Counterveiling Power: when the power of a oligopolistic seller is
offset by powerful buyers which prevent the price of the product being
pushed up too high
e.g. supermarket chain dealing with a oligopolistic food producer; So a
Monopsony
Price Discrimination: where a firm sells the same product at
different prices e.g. airlines, cars.

Consumer Surplus: Is the extra satisfaction or utility gained by

consumers from paying a price that is lower than which they are
prepared to pay.
Producer Surplus: The excess of actual earnings that a producer
makes from a given quantity of output, over and above what the
amount the producer would be prepared to accept for that output.
Deadweight Loss: The loss of consumer and producer surplus
caused by firms operating at the profit maximization level of
production.
SECTION 3.1 NC
Macroeconomic definition: The branch of economics which studies the working of the
economy as a whole. It involves aggregates that concern economic growth,
unemployment, inflation, distribution of wealth and income and external stability.
National Income: The income accrued by a countrys residents for supplying
productive resources, and is the sum of all forms of wages, rent, interest and profits over
a given period of time (It is GDP, less net income paid to overseas residents, less
depreciation allowances)
National Output: Is the sum total of all final goods and services added together over a
time period of usually one year. ( It is important not to count intermediate goods and
services, example steel that produces cars)
National Expenditure: is the aggregate of all spending in a economy over one year
National Income is often the generic meaning for all three.
GDP: The total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country over
a given period of time, usually one year, before depreciation
GNP: The sum total of all final goods and services produced by a country in a given
period of time, usually one year, plus the value of net property income from abroad
NNP: GNP adjusted for depreciation
Depreciation: The wearing out of capital goods, also called capital consumption.
Market Prices are distorted by indirect taxes and subsidies and do not reflect the
incomes generated by them
Factor Prices are the cost of all factors of production used in the production process,
before the adjustment for taxes and subsidies

Nominal National Income (or at current prices) is not adjusted for inflation or
deflation)
Real National Income (or at constant prices) is adjusted for inflation. If a country has a
10% inflation rate over one year the National Income must be deflated by 10%
Nominal National Income (or at current prices) is not adjusted for inflation or
deflation)
Real National Income (or at constant prices) is adjusted for inflation. If a country has a
10% inflation rate over one year the National Income must be deflated by 10%
Per Capita and Total
Per capita means per head
Section 3.2
Economic Growth is the increase in a countrys output over time, that is an increase in
national income
Economic Development is a much broader concept than merely economic growth, often
involving non-economic and often quite intangible improvements in the standard of
living, such as freedom of speech, freedom from oppression, health care, education and
employment
Trickle Down is the theory that rapid economic growth will filter down to the rest of the
economy in time (it doesnt seem to happen though as money may go to a small section
of the economy or used by the military).
Absolute poverty: where income falls below that required for minimum consumption
ie. insufficient basic goods and services like food and water to sustain life
Relative poverty: situation where individuals do not have access to the same living
standards as enjoyed by the average person. Those who income falls at the bottom of the
income distribution

Section 3.3
Aggregate Demand: is the sum total of all goods and services produced in an economy
over a given period, usually one year. It can also be looked at from the total spending in
an economy.

Investment: is the purchase of new buildings, new plant, new vehicles, new machinery,
and additions to inventory
Aggregate Demand Curve is the sum of all the demands for all final goods and services
Price Level means the average of all prices, measured using an index. We use price
levels to give us the real total output or expenditure
Aggregate Supply: Total supply or availability of goods and services in the economy.
It is made of goods and services produced locally as well as overseas (imports)
Short-run when prices of final goods and services change, but factor prices do not
there is a time lag
Long-run - when factor prices do adjust to final price changes the macro economy is in
the long-run
Natural rate of employment: The level of unemployment which still exists when the
labor market clears. So there is no cyclical unemployment, only structural and
frictional and seasonal. Increase in demand at this level will cause inflation
Short- Run Aggregate Supply: The period of time before factor prices adjust to a
change in prices.
Long--Run Aggregate Supply: is the relationship between real output and the price
level at full employment. It is defined as that period in time when all markets are in
equilibrium, including the labor market. (The natural rate of unemployment)
Full Employment Level of National Income: The level of national income at which
there is no deficiency in demand.
Macroeconomic Equilibrium: Occurs at the price level where aggregate demand equals
aggregate supply.
The Business Cycle: The periodic fluctuations of national output around its long term
trend. Often occurs at a generally upward growth path.

Section 3.4
Demand-side policies: Government policy that attempts to alter the level of AD to
complement government policy

Fiscal Policy or Budgetary policy: Policy regarding the size and composition of
government spending and revenue used to influence both the level and pattern of
economic activity in a country. It can be either expansionary or contractionary to either
increase or decrease economic activity and influence aggregate demand.
Expansionary Fiscal Policy: will involve increasing government expenditure (an
injection in the circular flow) will lead to increased AD and multiplied rise in AD.
Contractionary Fiscal Policy: cutting government spending and/or raising taxes
Budget Surplus: The excess of central government tax receipts over its spending (for
one year)
Budget Deficit: The excess of central government spending over its receipts (for one
year)
Automatic fiscal stabilizers: progressive tax system will automatically increase the rate
of taxation as income rises and thus slow down the potential rise in AD.
Discretionary fiscal policy: deliberate changes in tax rates and government spending to
influence level of AD
Monetary Policy: The central bank policy with respect to the quantity of money in the
economy, the rate of interest and exchange rate. Now broadly accepted as the main
determinant/weapon to influence of AD
Supply Side Policies: Are mainly microeconomic policies designed to improve the
supply-side potential of an economy, make markets and industry operate more efficiently,
and therefore contribute to a faster rate of growth of real national output.
The Keynesian Expenditure Multiplier: A process where a change in an economic
variable brings about a magnified change in another economic variable. The most
common is the investment multiplier. An initial change in investment leads to round sof
changes in spending, output and income
Formulae:
k (Multiplier) =

1
( 1 MPCdom)

Formula for Multiplier = change in equilibrium GNP

Change in autonomous expenditure
200
120
= 1.67

OR

k (Multiplier) =

1
( 1 MPCdom)

The Accelerator Model: The level of investment depends on the rate of change
in national income, and as a result tends to be subject to substantial fluctuations.
Crowding Out: A situation where government spending displaces (or crowds out)
private spending.

Section 3.5
Full Employment: A situation in which everyone in the labor force that is willing to
work at the market rate for his type of labor has a job.
Underemployment: A situation where a country (or enterprise) has excess labor that
remains employed. Also, where people are employed but working less hours than they
would like example: people in part-time work who would like to work more. This is seen
as a problem in China.
Unemployment: those of working age who are without work, but who are available for
work at the current wage rates.
Unemployment Rate: is the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the
labor force
Formula: Number of unemployed
No. of unemployed + employed

100
1

Demand deficient or cyclical unemployment: unemployment caused by the business

cycle where the slowdown in economic activity with falling aggregate demand is the
cause of unemployment
Frictional unemployment: unemployment as a result of people who are between jobs.
It often takes time for workers to find jobs, even though there are jobs. It is often seen as
a healthy for an economy to have workers move into areas of need.
Structural unemployment: unemployment caused by a change in the demand for skills
as the nature or structure of the economy changes. So there is a mismatch between
qualifications, skills and characteristics of the unemployed and available jobs. Example:
Car workers, steel workers in the US.
Seasonal unemployment: unemployment associated with industries or regions where
the demand for labor is lower at certain times of the year.

Real-wage unemployment: disequilibrium unemployment being driven up above the

market clearing rate
Natural Unemployment: Unemployment resulting from a situation where there is no
cyclical unemployment, only structural, frictional and seasonal. It is seen as the rate of
full employment where demand for labor equals the supply of labor. Any increase in AD
will only cause inflation
Disequilibrium Unemployment: The labor market is not in equilibrium. Example
when supply exceeds demand or vice versa
Inflation definition: Inflation is the sustained upward movement in the average level of
prices.
Sustained is important as if only a one off increase it is not inflation
Deflation: A sustained reduction in the general level of prices (Japan, Hong Kong)
Price Stability: When the average level of prices is moving neither up or down
Price level: is the average level of prices. These prices will feed through to change
Consumer Price Index: Measures the change in purchasing a fixed basket of goods and
services from one time period to another. When we discuss inflation this is the figure we
look at.
Demand Pull Inflation: Inflation induced by a persistence of an excess of aggregate
demand in the economy over aggregate supply
The Quantity of Money Theory (excess monetary growth): claims that in the long-run
an increase in the quantity of money causes an equal increase in the price level
Cost Push Inflation: the situation in an economy where there is sustained prices rises
because of production costs increasing, example wages, imported materials, interest rates
and rents
The Phillips Curve: his study showed a strong inverse relationship between wage
inflation and unemployment
Long-Run Phillips Curve:
SECTION 3.6

Progressive: system of tax where the percentage paid in tax increases as income
increases. Used by most MDCs as a form of income tax (direct) collection. (also an
automatic fiscal stabilizer)
Regressive: tax regime where the percentage of tax paid is lower the higher the income,
so proportionally less tax is being taken from higher income earners. Sales tax is an
example of a regressive tax example a $5 dollar tax on a packet of cigarettes would be
5% of Kelvins income if she was earning $100 per week but only 1% of Kristines
income if she was earning $500 per week.
Proportional: A tax which is levied at the same rate for all, regardless of income. Often
called a flat tax. For example everyone would pay 15% of their income in tax.
Direct: a tax leveled on factor incomes. Examples tax paid by individuals on income, tax
paid by companies on profit.
Indirect: taxes on the production, sale purchase or use of a good usually producer
taxed so he passes (indirectly) onto the consumer -example sales tax on new cars.
Disposable Income: total income households from wages, salaries and transfers from
governments less taxation
Discretionary Income: that part of disposable income that is used to undertake new
consumption expenditure
Transfer Payments: payments received by persons from the government in the form of
social payments (eg social security payments, income support, subsidies) payments are
being transferred from financial resources collected by one group in society and given to
another group
Gini coefficient: a statistic used to measure the extent of equality in distribution, usually
income and wealth. It is measured between 0 and 1 with 0 being perfect equality and 1
being perfect inequality
Section 4.1
Absolute advantage: An individual, firm or country uses less resources to produce a
unit of output than others. So the country is most efficient at producing something.
Comparative advantage: A country has a comparative advantage in producing a good
over another country if the opportunity cost of producing that good is lower.
Section 4.2

Free Trade: Trade in which goods can be imported and exported without any barriers in
the form of tariffs, quotas, or other restrictions often seen as engine of growth because
it encourages countries to specialize in activities in which they have a comparative
advantage.
Protectionism: The strategy where governments impose trade barriers to protect
domestic industries from import competition
Embargo: The total ban on trade on trade imposed from outside or internally. Example:
USA embargo on trade with Cuba and self imposed ban on narcotics by most countries in
the world. Example: Singapore
Tariffs: A government tax or duty applied to a price of an import as it comes into a
country. Example: on imported cars into China,
A tariff is an ad valorem tax (percentage).
Quota: Is a physical limit imposed on the amount of goods which may be imported,
expressed as the number of cars, beef
Subsidy: a payment by a government or other authority to producers in an industry to
which has the effect of lowering prices and increasing output.
Voluntary Export Restraints: Where the exporting country agrees to a voluntary quota
of exports into another country. Example:. Japan has agreed to VERs on cars, steel and
computer chips to the USA. Political pressure is usually required for VERs to exist
Exchange Controls: Limit the amount of foreign currency available to imports.
Example: used by China but this has been relaxed dramatically. But also having an
adjustable pegged currency can be used as another form of protectionism if the currency
is undervalued such as China.
Import Licensing: A license to import needs to be obtained from the government
Administrative Barriers: Barriers set up to make it expensive for imports to compete.
Example: health and safety requirements and therefore the cost of changing goods for one
particular country will discourage some imports.
Section 4.3

Globalization: Economically: Increased openness of economies to international trade,

financial flows, and direct foreign investment. Broader: is a process by which the
economies of the world become increasingly integrated, leading to a global economy and,
increasingly global economic policy making, for example, through international agencies
like the WTO.
Free Trade Area: Example: NAFTA free trade between these countries but retains
outside sovereignty with all other countries.
Customs Union: Individual country barriers have disappeared and represent at trade
talks by one voice. Example: EU was at this stage at the Uruguay Round (1986 90)
Common Market: All of customs union but free trade of factors of production. In the
EU common currency (12 of the 15/25), common macroeconomic policy through the
ECB, and common protectionism policies
Trade Creation (Good!!): It causes total economic welfare to increase as a result of a
new trade grouping. Example: By joining a trade grouping, protectionism of an
inefficient industry is stopped and consumers will now pay a lower cost and quantity
traded will increase.
Trade Diversion (Devil) (Bad!!): A country may have already been benefiting from low
cost goods on the world market but when they join a trading group they may have to pay
a higher cost from a trading bloc member. Example UK when they joined the EC in 1971
could no longer buy dairy products in the same quantities from New Zealand, USA and
Argentina.
Section 4.4
The World Trade Organisation: In 1995 the WTO was established to replace the 47
year old General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The Geneva based WTO is
intended to oversee trade agreements and settle trade dispute. There are around 160
member countries.
Fair Trade: Producers must be small scale and part of a co-operative, and they deal
directly with MDCs companies. It can save these farmers from bankruptcy. Around
500,000 small scale farmers are benefiting in 36 of the worlds poorest countries.
Section 4.5
The Balance of Payments: A systematic record of all economic transactions between
one country and the rest of the world over a given period of time, usually one year

Balance of payments on the Current Account: records all exports and imports of
goods and services, income receivable and payable overseas and unrequited transfers
The Balance of Merchandise Trade (also called the balance of trade) which is the
difference between the export and import of goods, also called visibles.
Invisible Balance: The difference between the export and import of services. Examples:
tourism, banking and insurance
Capital Account: Is the record of asset transactions across international borders.
Capital Inflow is the sum of all foreign purchases of long-term and short-term assets.
Long-term assets are domestic companies, farms, shops bought by foreigners. Short-term
assets are bonds and bank deposits.
Section 4.6
Definition of exchange rate: An exchange rate is the rate at which one currency trades
for another on the foreign exchange market
A floating exchange rate is one that is exposed to market forces. Remember currencies
are just like any other commodity, and are traded as such.
A fixed or pegged currency is one determined by a Central Bank (government policy)
that are not free to fluctuate on the international money market, such as the RMB and the
$HK. But be careful here as the RMB can be called an adjustable peg as its value can
vary depending on the changes of the basket of currencies it is weighted against.
A managed exchange rate or soft peg is a currency that is exposed to market forces, but
also has the intervention of a countrys central bank to help determine its value, such as
the Japanese Yen, Korean Won and Thai Baht.
Depreciation: A Fall in a currency under a free floating mechanism.
Appreciation: A Rise in the currency under a free floating mechanism
Devaluation is a decision made by a central bank or government where the value of a
currency is decreased relative to another currency under a fixed exchange mechanism.
Revaluation is a decision made by a central bank or government where the value of a
country is increased relative to another country under a fixed exchange mechanism.
Speculators will move money around to anticipate exchange rate movement, so if they
believe a currency is overvalued they will sell (leads to a depreciation), and vice versa.

This is the main reason for day to day fluctuations in currencies (80% of all currency
changes are caused by speculators).

Purchasing Power Parity: The purchasing power of a countrys currency: the number
of units of that currency required to purchase the same basket of goods and services in
another country. The PPP theory states that movements in relative exchange rates will be
exactly offset by movements in exchange rates.
The Carry Trade: The borrowing from one country with relatively low interest rates to
invest in an economy with higher interest rates.
Section 4.7
Current Account Deficit: If the debits generated from the buying of goods and services
and from income and unrequited transfers exceed the credit from selling goods and
services and from receiving income and requited transfers then the current account is in
deficit. Surplus is the opposite.
Capital Account Deficit: When long-term and short-term capital outflow exceeds longterm and short-term capital inflow. A capital account surplus is the opposite.
Expenditure switching: The imposition of protectionist policies such as tariffs to reduce
the size of the import bill, and improve the balance of payments.
Expenditure changing: Deflationary policies used to reduce national income
and therefore reduce imports and improve the balance of payments.
Marshall-Lerner Condition: In general a depreciation of a currency will improve the
balance of payments if elasticities (PED) for exports and imports are high, and worsen if
they are low.
Calculation: If combined elasticities (PEDx +PEDm) are greater then 1 then a
depreciation will improve the balance of payments
The J-Curve effect: Theory that the balance of payments will worsen before it
improves when there is depreciation of a currency.
Section 4.8

Terms of Trade: Prices of exported goods relative to the prices of

imported goods.
Improving terms of trade: when export prices rise relative to import prices

Worsening terms of trade: when import prices rise relative to export prices

Measurement of terms of trade: like retail price index a weighted index of

export and import prices is determined depending on their percentage value.
100 is set as the base year, and is the reference point for future years.
index of export prices x 100 = terms of trade
index of import prices
1
Section 5.1 and 52 have a number of terms but none that really need defining. Look
at your course summaries to make sure you understand these terms.
Section 5.3
Poverty Cycle: The connection between low incomes, low savings, low investment and
so on and the idea that poverty perpetuates itself from one generation to the next
Infrastructure: Areas such as good roads, railways, gas, electricity, water, schools,
hospitals and housing need to be in place for development to occur
Property Rights: A system protecting peoples property rights needs to be in place to
enable security to investors and also landowners this was partially addressed in China
(at the Peoples Congress 2005) but there are still concerns over this issue.
Capital Flight: A transfer of funds to a foreign country by a local citizen or business.
IMF Stabilization Packages: Centered on three areas i. increased use of market
mechanism ii. devaluation of exchange rate and iii. deflation of the economy
Dual Economies: two distinct economies i. CBD usually modern and somewhat similar
to MDCs and ii. slums (RIO, Bombay and Manila) which often have informal markets
Sections 5.4 and 5.5
Harrod-Domar Growth Model: Focuses on the constraint imposed by shortages of
capital in LDCs. Theory that national income will depend on the national savings ratio
(s)
Structural change/dual sector model: This is a model based on transforming a largely
rural subsistence economy into a modern industrial economy by transferring labor from
the large rural sector to the small urban sector.
Bilateral Aid: Aid given directly from one government to another

Multilateral Aid: Aid given through a multilateral agency like the World Bank, Regional
Development Bank and UN agencies.
NGO: A non government agency examples Oxfam, Care, Red Cross. NGOs are often
considered better at dealing with poor people in villages and slums.
OECD Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development.
Official Development Assistance (ODA): Net disbursements of loans or grants made on
concessional terms by official agencies of member countries of the OECD
Grant Aid: An outright transfer payment , usually from one country to another (Foreign
aid); a gift of money or technical assistance that does not have to be repaid.
Soft Loans: Loans that are given at an interest rate that is below market rates, or where
repayments are delayed to after a certain date
Tied Aid: Foreign aid in the form of bilateral loans or grants that require the recipient
country to use the funds to purchase goods and services from the donor country
Export promotion (Outward orientated): Encourages free trade in goods and the free
movement of capital and labor. The theoretical justification is that export promotion
increases output and growth arising from the use of comparative advantage.
Import substitution (Import Substitution): A deliberate effort to replace major
consumer imports by promoting the emergence and expansion of domestic industries
such as textiles, shoes and household appliances.
Infant Industry: The need to protect newly formed industries until they can compete on
the international market. Tariffs can be removed once they are large enough and efficient
enough.
Micro Credit: The practice of giving small loans to individuals who otherwise would be
excluded from the finance sector, and would have to resort to loan sharks. Usually based
on a group responsibility, predominantly women
Fair Trade Organizations: A policy promoted by some MDCs, notably the UK, to
allow goods to be imported from LDCs with no or limited restrictions. Manufacturers in
LDCs must be locally based co-operatives, using ethical labor and environmental
standards.
Foreign Direct Investment: Overseas investment by multinational corporations
Market-led and Interventionist Strategies: The IMF and World Bank both encourage
a market led approach of export promotion, less use of subsidies by governments, an
exchange rate more open to market forces, and the elimination of factor price distortion.

International Monetary Fund: An autonomous financial institution that originated in

the Bretton Woods Conference of 1944.
IMF Stabilization Packages: are centered on three areas:
1. Increased use of market mechanism

2. Devaluation of exchange rate and

3. Deflation of the economy

World Bank: Two main arms: 1. International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IRBD) where loans are offered on commercial terms to borrowing
governments or to private enterprises that have obtained government guarantees and 2.
International Development Association (established 1960) which provides additional
support to the poorest countries. It differs from the IRBD in that it lends at concessional
rates (soft loans) to countries who have very low per capita incomes.
Multinational Company: A firm that owns production units in more than one country.
Mainly parent company in North America, Japan and Europe
Commodity Agreement: Agreement made by countries to form a cartel to issue quotas
and the percentage the cartel is willing to supply.