What is the Current Account? One of three components of a country’s balance of payments system, the current account is the country’s trade balance, or the balance of imports and exports of goods and services, plus earnings on foreign investments minus payments to foreign investors. The other two components are the capital account and the…
What is the Real Economy? The real economy refers to all real or non-financial elements of an economy. An economy can be solely described using just real variables. A barter economy is an example of an economy with no financial elements. All goods and services are purely represented in real terms. A barter economy does…
What is Economics? Economics comes from the ancient Greek word “oikonomikos” or “oikonomia.” Oikonomikos literally translates to “the task of managing a household.” French mercantilists used “economie politique” or political economy as a term for matters related to public administration. Adam Smith’s Definition of Economics Adam Smith was a Scottish philosopher, widely considered as the…
What is Austerity? Austerity measures refer to government policies that aim to reduce public sector debt. Uncontrolled increases in a country’s public debt tend to increase financial instability within the country and can, if left unchecked, cause a national or even regional recession. Austerity policies tend to increase unemployment within the economy and are generally…
What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)? The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the aggregate price level in an economy. The CPI consists of a bundle of commonly purchased goods and services. The CPI measures the changes in the purchasing power of a country’s currency, and the price level of a basket…
What is the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)? The OECD, or Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is an international organization that promotes policy coordination and economic freedom among developed nations. The OECD was derived from the Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) that was established in 1948 to monitor American and Canadian…
What is a Customs Union? A customs union is an agreement between two or more neighboring countries to remove trade barriers, reduce or abolish customs duty, and eliminate quotas. Such unions were defined by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and are the third stage of economic integration. Unlike in free trade agreements,…
What is Consumer Surplus? Consumer surplus, also known as buyer’s surplus, is the economic measure of a customer’s excess benefit. It is calculated by analyzing the difference between the consumer’s willingness to pay for a product and the actual price they pay, also known as the equilibrium price. A surplus occurs when the consumer’s willingness…
What is Capacity Utilization? Capacity utilization refers to the manufacturing and production capabilities that are being utilized by a nation or enterprise at any given time. It is the relationship between the output produced with the given resources and the potential output that can be produced if capacity was fully used. Capacity utilization can also…
