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Econ Final Part 1
N/A
62
Economics
Undergraduate 1
12/04/2012

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Term
Spontaneous Order
Definition
The unintended consequences of individual actions within the constraints of social institutions
Term
Scarcity
Definition
All decisions involve tradeoffs, there is a shortage of time, money, etc. Exists because we have unlimited wants, but limited resources to fulfill those wants.
Term
Opportunity Cost
Definition
The highest valued alternative that must be given up in order to participate in an activity.
Term
Rational Behavior
Definition
Doing the best you can to achieve your objectives given what you have to work with. Achieving the most beneficial goal.
Term
Marginal Changes
Definition
Incremental adjustments to an existing plan
Term
Gains from trade
Definition
Companies benefit from trade when they have comparative advantage
Term
Comparative Advantage
Definition
A good can be produced at a lower opportunity cost than the competitor
Term
Rent Seeking
Definition
When an individual uses their resources to reciprocate an economic gain.
Term
Productive rent-seeking
Definition
Trading your time for a job, your job for money, and money for a goal of yours. Reciprocates back to society through some creation of wealth.
Term
Unproductive Rent-Seeking
Definition
Stealing something that you want, not giving any benefits to the economy.
Term
Production possibilities curve
Definition
A point on the line is an efficient point which offers maximum advantage.
Term
Inefficient point
Definition
A point underneath the line on a production possibilities curve. Has 0 opportunity cost because not all resources have been used.
Term
impossible point
Definition
A point beyond the production possibilities frontier that is not possible with current resources.
Term
Changes in resources pertaining to production possibilities
Definition
The more resources devoted to an activity, the smaller the payoff in devoting additional resources to that activity.
Term
Technological changes in relation to the production possibilities curve
Definition
Technology makes production possibilities larger.
Term
Sources of comparative advantage
Definition
Climate and natural resources, relative abundance of labor and capital, technology, and external economies
Term
Demand curve
Definition
Curve that shows the relationship between the price of a product and the quantity of a product demanded. Always has a negative slope.
Term
The law of demand
Definition
All other things equal, the quantity demanded is inversely related to the price
Term
substitution effect
Definition
As price rises, consumers switch to other goods
Term
income effect
Definition
As price rises, consumers real income falls & he/she can afford less
Term
income effect
Definition
As price rises, consumers real income falls & he/she can afford less
Term
normal good
Definition
When demand increases following a rise in income and falls following a decrease in income
Term
inferior good
Definition
When demand decreases following a rise in income and increases following a fall in income
Term
substitutes
Definition
Goods & services used for the same purpose(laptops & tablets)
Term
complements
Definition
Goods & services used together(hot dogs & buns)
Term
factors that shift a demand curve
Definition
income, prices of related goods, tastes, population and demographics, expected future prices
Term
Movement ALONG the curve
Definition
Change in the quantity demanded
Term
Shift in the curve
Definition
A change in actual demand
Term
supply curve
Definition
Shows relationship between the price of a product and the quantity of the product supplied, has an upward slope
Term
Factors that shift the supply curve
Definition
Prices of inputs that go into the good, prices of alternative goods used for the same inputs, technology, expectations, market equilibrium
Term
Movement along the supply curve
Definition
Change in quantity supplied
Term
Movement of the supply curve
Definition
Change in supply
Term
Market Equilibrium
Definition
The point at which both consumers are willing to buy and sellers are willing to sell
Term
Surplus
Definition
When quantity supplied is greater than the quantity demanded, causes companies to cut prices
Term
Shortage
Definition
When quantity demanded is greater than quantity supplied, causes higher prices
Term
Elasticity
Definition
Used to measure how one economic variable responds to another economic variable(like price and demand)
Term
Elastic
Definition
When quantity demanded responds to change in price, percent change of quantity demanded will be greater than percent change to price
Term
Inelastic
Definition
When quantity demanded is not very responsive to change in price, percent quantity demanded will be less than percent change in price
Term
Perfectly Elastic
Definition
When demand curve is a perfectly horizontal line
Term
Perfectly inelastic
Definition
When demand curve is a perfectly vertical line
Term
Consumer Surplus
Definition
Difference Between the highest price a consumer is willing to pay for a good and the price they actually pay
Term
Producer surplus
Definition
Difference between the lowest price a firm would be willing to accept for a good and the price it actually receives
Term
Social Surplus
Definition
The consumer surplus added to the producer surplus
Term
Price controls
Definition
Government regulations on prices
Term
Price floors
Definition
Legally determined minimal price that sellers may receive
Term
Price ceilings
Definition
Legally determined maximum price that sellers may charge, common in rent control
Term
surplus
Definition
Difference between the highest price a consumer is willing to pay for a good or service and the price the consumer actually pays
Term
Marginal benefit
Definition
Additional benefit to a consumer for consumption from one more unit of a good or service
Term
Deadweight loss
Definition
Reduction in social surplus because of price control away from equilibrium
Term
Tex Incidence
Definition
The division of the burden of a tax between buyers and seller
Term
Tax Base
Definition
Item or economic activity on which the tax is levied
Term
Tax Rate
Definition
Relationship between the tax collected and tax rate
Term
average tax rate
Definition
total amount of taxes collected divided by dollar value of tax base
Term
marginal tax rate
Definition
additional tax collected on the additional dollar value of tax base such as tax incidence
Term
income tax
Definition
personal taxes, corporate taxes
Term
payroll taxes
Definition
Taxes on social security and medicare
Term
consumption tax
Definition
General sales tax, excise taxes, and tariffs
Term
Marginal Tax Rates
Definition
Additional tax collected on each additional dollar as tax base increases, most important in determining the effect of tax on a consumer
Term
The Laffer Curve
Definition
A curve that shows relationship between tax rates and tax revenue collected by the government
Term
Progressive transfers of income
Definition
People with lower income pay lower percentage of income in tax rather than those with higher income
Term
Regressive transfers of income
Definition
People with lower income pay higher percentage of income in tax than people with higher income
Term
Proportional transfers of income
Definition
Everyone, regardless of income, pays the same percentage of their income in taxes
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