Core Economic Concepts and Activities
- Economic activity: These are activities made by humans to satisfy needs. Entities produce goods and provide products and services. Once produced, it is necessary to distribute these goods and sell them.
- Unemployment: The unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed workers in the economy.
- Economic agents: These are individuals, groups, or institutions involved in the operation of the economy. They produce, consume, and exchange products. The three most important agents are families, businesses, and the state.
- Consumer Goods: These meet the needs of consumers directly (e.g., clothing).
- Capital goods: These are machines, tools, and equipment used to produce other goods.
- Capital: This includes not only money but also buildings, facilities, machinery, or technology needed to produce these goods.
Market Dynamics and Business Structures
- Market economy: This is the predominant economic system in the world. The core idea is the free play of supply and demand, establishing a fair price that allows people to satisfy a greater number of needs.
- Companies: These are the main agents of production and distribution. Goods and services bought and sold on the market are obtained and marketed through businesses.
- Corporations: Large-scale entities involving thousands of workers.
- Medium-sized enterprises: Generally, these are businesses that have more than 100 workers.
- Small enterprises: Local businesses, such as a hairdresser.
- Surplus: [No definition provided].
- Direct and Indirect Taxes: Direct taxes are based on income levels paid by workers (on wages) and entrepreneurs (on benefits). Indirect taxes are paid through consumption, such as VAT or excise taxes (on gasoline, tobacco, etc.).
- Law of supply and demand: This mechanism allows prices to be set satisfactorily. The equilibrium point is the price that depends on specific market circumstances.
Labor, Public Sector, and Production
- Production of goods: This involves combining natural resources, technical work, and labor to obtain goods for people.
- Labor force: This includes all persons employed or available for work, including those who are currently unemployed.
- Public Sector: Economic and social activities performed by the State. These are funded by taxes paid by citizens. Thus, the State can maintain public administration, promote social welfare, offer public services, and provide benefits.
- Organization: [No definition provided].
- Employment: Any human activity used to produce goods for people.
- Self-employment: Working for oneself (e.g., a farmer).
- Wholesale: This involves wholesalers who buy large quantities of products and sell them to other companies.
- Retail: Retailers who buy from wholesalers in smaller quantities to sell directly in stores.
Industry, Fishing, and Agriculture
Fishing and Industrial Sectors
- Traditional fishing: Conducted near the coast using human force. Production is limited and serves self-consumption.
- Industrial fishing
- Deep-sea fishing (d'altura)
- Inshore fishing
- Big fishing
- Peak industry
- Heavy industry
- Light Industry
Economic Sectors and Land Use
- Primary sector
- Tertiary sector (trivial)
- Quaternary sector
- Public service
- Private service
- Openfield / Open field
- Bocage / Closed field
- Polyculture (policonreu)
- Monoculture (monoconreu)
- Intensive agriculture
- Farming
- Trade balance
- Balance of payments
