Depression
A severe and prolonged downturn in economic activity.
Diminishing Marginal Utility
A principle stating that as a person increases consumption of a product, there is a decline in the marginal utility that person derives from consuming each additional unit of that product.
Classical Economics
An economic theory that emphasizes the role of free-market forces, allowing them to operate without government intervention.
Deadweight Loss
A loss of economic efficiency that can occur when the free market equilibrium for a good or a service is not achieved.
Economies of Scale
The cost advantage that arises with increased output of a product.
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
A measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care.
Aggregate Supply
The total supply of goods and services that firms in an economy plan on selling during a specific time period.
Capital Deepening
An increase in the amount of capital per worker; one source of rising labor productivity.
Budget Deficit
A situation in which government expenditures exceed revenue.
Aggregate Demand
The total demand for final goods and services in an economy at a given time.
Comparative Advantage
The ability of an individual, firm, or country to produce a good or service at a lower opportunity cost than competitors.
Contractionary Monetary Policy
A policy by a central bank to decrease the money supply, usually by raising interest rates.
Coincident Economic Indicators
Economic indicators that usually change at the same time as the whole economy.
Automatic Stabilizers
Economic policies and programs that are designed to offset fluctuations in a nation's economic activity without intervention by the government or policymakers.
Endogenous Variables
Variables determined within the model.
Balance of Payments
A record of all transactions made between one particular country and all other countries during a specified period of time.
Absolute Advantage
The ability of an individual, firm, or country to produce more of a good or service than competitors, using the same amount of resources.
Cross Elasticity of Demand
A measure of the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good to a change in the price of another good.
Budget Surplus
A situation in which government revenue exceeds expenditures.
Diseconomies of Scale
The disadvantages that arise due to the increase in size of an organization, leading to inefficiencies.
Discount Rate
The interest rate set by the central bank for loans to commercial banks.
Business Cycle
A cycle or series of cycles of economic expansion and contraction.
Contractionary Fiscal Policy
Government policy that attempts to reduce the level of economic activity through decreased spending or increased taxes.
Cyclical Unemployment
Unemployment that results when the overall demand for goods and services in an economy cannot support full employment.
Complementary Goods
Goods that are often used together.