Understanding Economic Activity and Systems

What is Economic Activity?

Economic activity is any process through which we obtain products and services that meet human needs. It encompasses three stages:

• Production
• Distribution
• Consumption

Economic Sectors

The economy is divided into three main sectors:

• Primary Sector: This sector involves obtaining raw materials from nature (e.g., farming, mining, fishing).
• Secondary Sector: This sector transforms raw materials into finished products (e.g., manufacturing, construction).
• Tertiary Sector: This sector provides services to society (e.g., healthcare, education, finance).

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and GDP Per Capita

GDP is the total value of goods and services produced in a territory within a year.

GDP per capita is calculated by dividing the GDP of an area by its population.

Who is Involved in Economic Activity?

• Families: Families consume goods and services and participate in production through labor.
• Companies: Companies produce goods and services for profit. They can be categorized by size (micro, small, medium, large), ownership (public or private), and legal structure (individual or collective).
• State: The state regulates economic activity, stimulates certain sectors, provides public services, and generates employment.

The Production Factors

Several factors contribute to production:

• Labor: Human effort used to produce goods and services. Employment conditions are negotiated between employers and employees within a legal framework and formalized in a contract.
• Natural Resources: Resources provided by nature, which can be renewable or nonrenewable.
• Capital: Resources used in production beyond natural resources. This includes physical capital (machinery, equipment), human capital (skills, knowledge), and financial capital (money).
• Technology: Procedures and methods used in production, ranging from manual to automated processes.
• Knowledge and Know-How: Skills and expertise required for specific activities.

The Organization of Economic Activity: Economic Systems

An economic system defines how goods and services are produced in a society. Several systems exist:

• Subsistence System: Families produce to meet their basic needs, with any surplus traded locally.
• Communist System: The state controls all aspects of the economy and private property is not recognized.
• Capitalist System: The dominant global system, characterized by private ownership, profit-driven activity, supply and demand dynamics, and free competition.