Business Cycles, Inflation, Recession and Depression
The increase in the amount of goods and services in a country It is measured every year Gross National Product or GNP : Total dollar value of all goods and services is added up This flow of money is necessary for a healthy economy
It can grow if there is: ◦ A large supply of natural resources ◦ A steady growth in population ◦ A free enterprise system where people can find jobs and succeed in their work
It is irregular changes in the level of total output measured by real GDP GDP (Gross Domestic Product): the total dollar value of all FINAL goods and services produced in a year There are fluctuations in the economy: ups and downs in the economy (unemployment, inflation)
1 st - Prosperity: most people have jobs, spending is high, businesses grow 2 nd - Recession: gradual slowdown due to less spending and lack of jobs 3 rd - Depression: if recession continues and people lost jobs. Ex: Great Depression 4 th - Recovery: jobs become available, people spend, business improves 5 th - Inflation: prices rise quickly, but incomes do not rise as fast
Inflation: causes prices to rise to a point at which people cannot afford to buy, or may delay buying certain products Prices of items began to rise faster than your income Is essentially a devaluing of a nation’s currency
Merchants can’t sell their goods 1. Consumers can’t buy 2. Sales and profits decline 3. Production declines, layoffs occur and some businesses have to close 4. Interest rates rise (go up with everything else)