Macroeconomic Objectives
Overview
Every government, whatever its politics, is judged on broadly the same scorecard: is the economy growing, are people in work, are prices stable, and is the country paying its way in the world. These are a government's core macroeconomic objectives, and no government has ever managed to score perfectly on all of them at once.
In this lesson you will define and learn how to measure each major macroeconomic objective, examine the stages of the economic cycle that pull growth, employment and inflation up and down together, and confront the uncomfortable truth at the heart of macroeconomics: pursuing one objective often makes another harder to achieve. You will practise explaining exactly why these conflicts arise, which is where the strongest exam answers are won.
Objectives
- Economic growth: definition, measurement using increases in gross domestic product (GDP), limitations of GDP as a measure of growth, the use of diagrams to show the economic cycle (annotating boom, downturn, recession and recovery), the effect of each stage of the economic cycle on economic growth, inflation and unemployment, the impact of economic growth on employment, standards of living, poverty, productive potential, inflation, the environment
- Low and stable inflation: definition of inflation, definition of deflation, measurement using consumer price index (CPI), types of inflation (demand pull, cost push), relationship between inflation and interest rates, impact of inflation on prices, wages, exports, unemployment, menu costs, shoe leather costs, uncertainty, business and consumer confidence, investment
- Low unemployment: definition of unemployment, measurement using International Labour Organization (ILO) measure, types of unemployment (cyclical, structural, seasonal, voluntary, frictional), impact of unemployment on output, use of scarce resources, poverty, government spending on benefits, tax revenue, consumer confidence, business confidence, society
- Surplus or balance on the current account of the balance of payments: definition of current account on the balance of payments, current account deficits and surpluses, trade in goods (visibles) and services (invisibles), relationship between current account and exchange rates, examples of real-world exchange rates, reasons for deficits and surpluses (quality and price of domestic and foreign goods, exchange rates between countries), impact of current account deficit (leakage from the economy, can be inflationary if prices rise abroad, low demand for exports, problems finding foreign reserves to fund the deficit)
- Protection of the environment: business activity that damages the environment, ways businesses damage the environment (visual pollution including litter, noise pollution, air pollution, water pollution), government intervention to protect the environment (taxation, subsidy, regulation, fines, pollution permits, government provision of parks)
- Redistribution of income: definition of income inequality, definition of absolute poverty, definition of relative poverty, reasons to reduce poverty and inequality (meet basic needs, raise standards of living, ethical reasons), government intervention to reduce inequality and poverty (progressive taxation, redistribution through benefit payments, investment in education and healthcare)
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Macroeconomic Objectives. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which of the following is the standard measure of economic growth? A) The Consumer Price Index B) Gross domestic product (GDP) C) The exchange rate D) The ILO unemployment rate Answer: B
- Unemployment caused by a long-term decline in a particular industry, leaving workers' skills poorly matched to available jobs, is best described as: A) Frictional unemployment B) Seasonal unemployment C) Structural unemployment D) Voluntary unemployment Answer: C
- A current account deficit occurs when: A) Export earnings exceed import expenditure B) Import expenditure exceeds export earnings C) The exchange rate is fixed D) Inflation falls below its target Answer: B
- During which stage of the economic cycle is unemployment typically at its highest? A) Boom B) Downturn C) Depression D) Recovery Answer: C
- Which of the following best explains why low unemployment and low inflation can conflict? A) They are measured using the same index B) Both are driven by the same aggregate demand, but in opposite policy directions C) Unemployment always causes inflation directly D) Government cannot measure both at the same time Answer: B
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