What is Abenomics? Abenomics is the name given by economists and policymakers to the economic and social policies followed by the Japanese government under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. When Prime Minister Abe assumed office in 2012, the country was still recovering from the 2008/09 recession. In addition, Japan went through long periods of low and…
What is the Paradox of Thrift? The Paradox of Thrift is the theory that increased savings in the short term can reduce savings, or rather the ability to save, in the long term. The Paradox of Thrift arises out of the Keynesian notion of an aggregate demand-driven economy. An increase in the rate of saving…
What is an Economic System? An economic system is a means by which societies or governments organize and distribute available resources, services, and goods across a geographic region or country. Economic systems regulate the factors of production, including land, capital, labor, and physical resources. An economic system encompasses many institutions, agencies, entities, decision-making processes, and…
What is the Fisher Price Index? The Fisher Price Index, also called the Fisher’s Ideal Price Index, is a consumer price index (CPI) used to measure the price level of goods and services over a given period. The Fisher Price Index is a geometric average of the Laspeyres Price Index and the Paasche Price Index….
What is the Paasche Price Index? The Paasche Price Index is a consumer price index used to measure the change in the price and quantity of a basket of goods and services relative to a base year price and observation year quantity. Developed by German economist Hermann Paasche, the Paasche Price Index is commonly referred…
What is the Laspeyres Price Index? The Laspeyres Price Index is a consumer price index used to measure the change in the prices of a basket of goods and services relative to a specified base period weighting. Developed by German economist Etienne Laspeyres, the Laspeyres Price Index is also called the base year quantity weighted…
What is the Keynesian Multiplier? The Keynesian Multiplier is an economic theory that asserts that an increase in private consumption expenditure, investment expenditure, or net government spending (gross government spending – government tax revenue) raises the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by more than the amount of the increase. Therefore, if private consumption expenditure increases…
What is the Zero Lower Bound? The Zero Lower Bound refers to the belief that interest rates cannot be lowered beyond zero. Traditionally, central banks used monetary policy to manipulate the interest rate in the economy to meet their fiscal objective(s). Therefore, the banks would lower the interest rate during a recession (to promote investment)…
What is Conspicuous Consumption? Conspicuous consumption is the act of displaying ostentatious wealth to gain status and reputation in society. The theory was first discussed by American economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen in his book, “The Theory of the Leisure Class,” in 1899. In his book, Veblen says that the need to consume goods in…
What is Currency? Currency refers to money, that which is used as a medium of exchange for goods and services in an economy. Before the concept of currency was introduced, goods and services were exchanged for other goods and services under the barter system. Bartering made it quite difficult to accurately determine the value of…
