Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Economics for Primary education

Axioms Determining Indifference Curve Shape

Six fundamental axioms determine the shape and properties of indifference curves:

1. Completeness: Individuals can compare and rank any two market baskets (A or B, or indifferent between A and B).
2. Transitivity: Guarantees the logical consistency of the ordering among any set of market baskets (If A is preferred to B, and B is preferred to C, then A is preferred to C).
3. Non-Satiation (More is Better): Market baskets with higher quantities (q) are always preferred.
4. Continuity: Market baskets in the same indifference set are distributed continuously.
5. Strict Convexity: Indifference curves are always strictly convex with respect to the origin of coordinates.
6. Smoothness: Indifference curves are smooth, lacking any

Elasticity

Elastic demand: A high responsiveness of quantity demanded or supplied to changes in price.

Elasticity: An economics concept that measures the responsiveness of one variable to changes in another variable.

Inelastic demand: A low responsiveness by consumers to price changes.

Necessities vs. Luxuries

Necessities tend to have inelastic demands, whereas luxuries have elastic demands.

Short Run Versus Long Run

Price elasticity of demand is usually lower in the short run, before consumers have much time to react, than in the long run, when they have a greater opportunity to find substitute goods. Thus, demand is more price elastic in the long run than in the short run.

Competitive Dynamics

Goods that can only be produced by one supplier generally...

The Economic Landscape of the 1920s

Post-War Boom and Depression (1919–1921)

• 1919–1920: Post-War "Boom" – This period was characterized by a short and abrupt increase in prices, repressed demand, scarce supply, and accumulated savings. This brief boom had beneficial effects, particularly in increasing employment.
• 1920–1921: Post-War Depression – This phase involved the conversion costs of transitioning from a war economy to a peace economy. Falling prices made the payment of allied debts difficult, leading to increased production and a deflationary process. Furthermore, the contraction of American foreign credit reduced the availability of capital, resulting in chronic unemployment, restrictions on immigration, and a return to protectionism

Does the Purchase of Government Debt by Monetary Authorities Enhance Macroeconomic Policy?

Yes, this is actually what happened in the aftermath of the financial crisis that led central banks (CBs) to buy large amounts of public debt. The explanation is as follows:

Impact of Central Bank Debt Purchases on Liquidity

When the CB buys a large amount of government debt, it implies a higher volume of liquidity injected into the economy. Once the volume of liquidity is such that the interest rate market hits the lower bound of the corridor (deposit rate), further injection of liquidity (quantity) allows them to also control the interest rate (price). The internal market will not fall further as the CB dominates all other aspects of the economy, and the...

The Great Depression, a period of severe economic downturn, lasted from 1929 to 1939. It was the worst economic depression in the history of the United States. While economists and historians often point to the stock market crash of October 24, 1929, as the start of the downturn, the reality is that the Great Depression was caused by a confluence of factors, not just one single event.

In the United States, the Great Depression crippled the presidency of Herbert Hoover and led to the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. Promising the nation a "New Deal," Roosevelt would become the nation's longest-serving president. The economic downturn wasn't just confined to the United States; it affected much of the developed world. One consequence...

Asset Transformation

Asset transformation: Banks make profits by selling liabilities with one set of characteristics (risk, size, return, liquidity) and using the proceeds to buy assets with a different set of characteristics.

Example: Savings deposits held by one person can provide funds to the bank to give a loan to another person. The bank has transformed the savings account into a loan.

Haircut

Haircut: The excess amount of collateral above the amount of a loan.

Excess Reserves

Excess Reserves: Reserves in excess of required reserves.

Bank Holding Company

Bank Holding Company: A company that controls one or more banks, but does not necessarily engage in banking itself.

Examples: Berkshire, JPMorgan Chase

Subprime Mortgage

Subprime Mortgage: Mortgages...

Available for sale securities - are debt and equity securities that are neither held for trading, held to maturity, nor held for strategic reasons.

Business combination - purchase of more than 50% ownership of the investee’s stock.

Consolidated financial statement - Combined financial statements from parent and subsidiary company.

Cost method - Investment of less than 20% of the investee’s outstanding stock.

Debt securities - Notes and bonds that pay interest and have a fixed maturity date.

Dividend yield -measures the rate of return to stockholders, based on cash dividends.

Equity method - Investments between 20%-50% of the outstanding stock.

Equity securities - Are preferred and common stock that represent OWNERSHIP in a company and DO NOT

The Circular Flow of Income and GNP

The circular flow of income between businesses and families creates a constant exchange of goods and services along with their corresponding payments. This is known as the circular flow of income. These economic agents promote two types of exchanges: a real flow, where families provide businesses with factors of production, especially labor, and businesses produce goods and services sold to families, and a monetary flow through which companies offer payments to families for the factors of production employed and, in turn, receive payment for goods and services provided. Money flows through the circuit in two directions: from businesses to families and back to businesses. However, some money exits the circuit...

Fixed Costs

Fixed costs are the costs of production that a business has to pay regardless of how much it produces or sells. Fixed costs exist even if there is no output. These costs remain unchanged in the short run. They can change, but these changes happen independently from the level of output.

Scale of Operations

Scale of operations is the maximum output that can be achieved using the available resources. It can be increased in the long term.

Variable Costs

Variable costs are the costs of production that change in direct proportion to the level of output or sales. These include commission earned by staff, raw materials, packaging costs, etc. In theory, if there is no production, then variable costs equal zero.

Contribution

Contribution refers...