Chapters 1-2 Notes
Reading (Chapters 1-2, Skip Circular Flow diagram in ch. 2) Mankiw Text
Topics: Basic Principles of Economics relevant
T i
B i Pi i l fE i l t to Microeconomics & Thinking like an economist For HW, please do Chapter 1 Problems &
Applications, #1(same as 5e), #5(same as 5e) &
#6(#7 in 5e); Chapter 2, Problems &
Applications, #2 (same as 5e) & #6(same as 5e)
What Economics Is All About
Scarcity: the limited nature of society’s resources Economics: the study of how society manages its scarce resources, e.g.
how people decide what to buy, how much to work, save, and spend
how firms decide how much to produce, how many workers to hire
how society decides how to divide its resources between national defense, consumer goods, protecting the environment, and other needs
TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
1
1
9/17/2012
HOW PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS
Principle #1: People Face Tradeoffs
All decisions involve tradeoffs. Examples:
Going to a party the night before your midterm leaves less time for studying.
Having more money to buy stuff requires working longer hours, which leaves less time for leisure.
Protecting the environment requires resources that could otherwise be used to produce consumer goods.
TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
2
HOW PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS
Principle #1: People Face Tradeoffs
Society faces an important tradeoff: efficiency vs equality vs. Efficiency: when society gets the most from its scarce resources
Equality: when prosperity is distributed uniformly among society’s members
Tradeoff: To achieve greater equality, could redistribute income from wealthy to poor.
But this reduces incentive to work and produce, shrinks the size of the economic “pie.”
TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
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2
9/17/2012
HOW PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS
Principle #2: The Cost of Something Is
What You Give Up to Get It
M ki d i i
Making decisions requires comparing th costs i i the t and benefits of alternative choices.
The opportunity cost of any item is whatever must be given up to obtain it.
It is the relevant cost for decision making making. TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
4
HOW PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS
Principle #2: The Cost of Something Is
What You Give Up to Get It
Examples:
E amples
The opportunity cost of…
…going to college for a year is not just the tuition, books, and fees, but also the foregone wages.
…seeing a movie is not j g just the p price of the ticket,
,
but the value of the time you spend in the theater.
TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
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3
9/17/2012
HOW PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS
Principle #3: Rational People Think at the
Margin
Rational people
R ti l l
systematically and purposefully do the best they can to achieve their objectives.
make decisions by evaluating costs and benefits g g j of marginal changes – incremental adjustments to an existing plan.
TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
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HOW PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS
Principle #3: Rational People Think at the
Margin
Examples:
When a student considers whether to go to college for an additional year, he compares the fees & foregone wages to the extra income he could earn with the extra year of education.
When a manager considers whether to increase output, she compares the cost of the needed labor and materials to the extra revenue.
TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
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4
9/17/2012
HOW PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS
Principle #4: People Respond to Incentives
Incentive: something that induces a person to act, i.e. act i e the prospect of a reward or punishment punishment. Rational people respond to incentives.
Examples:
When gas prices rise, consumers buy more y g guzzling SUVs. g hybrid cars and fewer gas g
When cigarette taxes increase, teen smoking falls.
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TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
ACTIVE LEARNING
1
Applying the principles