do now activitydo now activity why do you think that some countries grow at a faster pace than...
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DO NOW ACTIVITYDO NOW ACTIVITY
Why do you think that some countries grow at a faster pace than other countries?
What contributes to this growth?
TURN IN BELL RINGER
Macroeconomics- the study of behavior and decision making of entire economies. Trends of the economy as a whole
Microeconomics- study of the economic behavior and decision making of small units. Individuals, families, households, and businesses.
Economists measure economic well-being by calculating the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP)—the total value of all final goods and services produced in an economy. Follow GDP to predict business cycles
Business Cycle- period of macroeconomic expansion followed by a period of contraction (decline). May last a year or continue for many years. The government plays a role in attempting to prevent wild
swings in economic behavior. Where we are in the business cycle affects our every day life
Tracking the Business CycleTracking the Business Cycle
Promoting Economic Promoting Economic StrengthStrength
The government creates public policy to stabilize the economy—policy makers want high employment, steady growth, and stable prices.
Employment- the federal government wants to provide jobs for everyone who is able to work. We want an unemployment rate of about 4-6 %.
Growth- We want a higher standard of living than that of previous generations. For each generation to do better—the economy
must grow to provide better goods and services to following generations. (GDP measures such growth!)
Economic Citizenship- As a voter—your elective choices will help guide government economic policy (like Obama trying to pass the Health Care Bill)
Cont.Cont.
Stability- gives consumers, producers, and investor’s confidence in the economy and in our financial institutions. General price levels are one indicator of stability
When prices increase—consumers feel the strain (especially those on fixed incomes)
When prices decrease—producers and consumers feel the strain.
The health of the nation’s financial institutions are another indicator of stability We want to know that when we go to the bank, our money
will be protected from fraud or mismanagement and shielded from the effects of economic downturn.
Federal government monitors and regulates American banks and other financial institutions.
Technology and Technology and ProductivityProductivity
The American economy maintains a far higher standard of living than most of the world.
We can preserve a higher standard of living by increasing productivity—shifting the production possibilities frontier outward. Through work ethic (a commitment to the value of work and purposeful activity).
We can also increase productivity through Technology.
Technology- the process used to produce a good or service. Improvements allow an economy to produce more
output (goods and services) from the same or smaller amount of inputs or resources. **We can produce more with less goods (or at least the same
amount) ** Technology allows the U.S. economy to operate more
efficiently and productively.
Government’s RoleGovernment’s Role
Governments role- the government provides incentives for innovation (because innovation helps the economy grow) Government gives (FREE MONEY) grants to research and
development projects Government’s own research institutions produce new
technologies NASA- creates technology to blast humans into outer space!
NASA also produces “spinoffs” for products that have commercial use Scanner for firefighters to see “invisible flames” Muscle stimulator for paralyzed people
Government also offers inventors patents and copyrights. Patent- gives the inventor exclusive right to produce the
product for 20 years! Copyright- grants an author exclusive rights to publish and sell
their creative works.