Economic Growth (Edexcel A Level Economics A)
Revision Note
Written by: Steve Vorster
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Economic Growth
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
National income accounting measures the economic activity within a country and provides insights into how a country is performing
One of the main methods to determine economic activity is to measure the rate of change of output in an economy
The output of an economy is called gross domestic product (GDP)
GDP is the value of all goods/services produced in an economy in a one-year period
It can be measured using the following approaches
The expenditure approach: adds up the value of all the expenditure in the economy
This includes consumption, government spending, investment by firms and net exports (exports - imports)
The income approach: adds up the rewards for the factors of production used
Wages from labour, rent from land, interest from capital and profit from entrepreneurship
Both approaches should provide the same figure as one party's expenditure is another party's income
The value of GDP is different to the volume of GDP
The value is the monetary worth
The volume is the physical number
The distinction between real, nominal and per capita GDP
In economics, the use of the word nominal refers to the fact that the metric has not been adjusted for inflation
Nominal GDP is the actual value of all goods/services produced in an economy in a one-year period
There has been no adjustment to the amount based on the increase in general price levels (inflation)
Real GDP is the value of all goods/services produced in an economy in a one-year period - and adjusted for inflation
For example, if nominal GDP is £100bn and inflation is 10% then real GDP is £90bn
GDP per capita = GDP / the population
It shows the mean wealth of each citizen in a country
This makes it easier to compare standards of living between countries:
For example, Switzerland has a much higher GDP/capita than Burundi
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When an exam question uses the phrase 'at constant prices' it is referring to real GDP. For example, a question may read, 'Explain what is meant by a rise in GDP at constant prices'. This requires you to define real GDP and then explain the rise.
If an exam question quotes the GDP data 'at current prices' it is referring to nominal GDP, which means it has not been adjusted for inflation. In data-response questions requiring evaluation, this could be criticised to form part of a judgement.
Gross National Income
GDP may not be the best metric to measure a country's output or wealth
GDP measures the value of production within a country's borders
It does not consider the income earned by its citizens while operating outside of the country
Gross national income (GNI) measures the income earned by citizens operating outside of the country + the GDP
Many citizens employ their resources outside of a country's borders and then send the income home
Gross national product (GNP) takes it one step further
GDP + income from abroad - income sent by non-residents to their home countries
GNP/capita provides a much more realistic view of a country's wealth than GDP/capita
Growth Comparisons Between Countries
National income statistics are useful for making comparisons between countries
They provide insights on the effectiveness of government policies
They allow judgements to be made about the relative wealth and standard of living within each country
They allow comparisons to be made over the same or different time periods
For example, the growth of the Asian Economies in the last 15 years can be compared to the growth of the European Economies in the 1990s
Using real GDP is a better comparison than nominal GDP
One country may have a much higher rate of economic growth but also a much higher rate of inflation. Real GDP provides a better comparison
Using real GDP/capita provides better information than real GDP as it takes population differences into account
Using real GNI/capita is a more realistic metric for analysing the income available per person than GDP/capita
Using real GNP/capita provides information on the income that is actually within a country's borders
This value can be significantly different from GDP/capita
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When studying national income data that has been provided for data response questions, you will often see a generalised pattern emerge
Developed countries will have a smaller gap between their GNP and GDP
Developing countries often have a higher GDP than GNP - as much as 6%
The reason for this is usually linked to multinational companies involved in resource extraction, who then send income/profits home
Purchasing Power Parities (PPP)
Purchasing power parity (PPP) is a conversion factor that can be applied to GDP, GNI and GNP
It calculates the relative purchasing power of different currencies
It shows the number of units of a country's currency that are required to buy the same baskets of products in the local economy, as $1 would buy of the same products in the USA or another country
The aim of PPP is to help make a more accurate standard of living comparison between countries where goods and services cost different amounts
If a basket of goods cost $150 in Vietnam (once the currency has been converted) and the same basket of goods cost $450 in the USA, the purchasing power parity would be 1:3
It seems like the cost of living is much higher in the USA
However, if the USA GNP/capita is more than three times higher than the GNP/capita of Vietnam, it could be argued the USA has better standards of living
Conversely, if the GNP/capita in the USA was less than three times that of Vietnam, it could be argued that Vietnamese citizens enjoy a higher standard of living as they spend less income to acquire the same goods and services
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Even though the PPP measurement is more sophisticated, it still has limitations. This is because countries have different tastes and preferences. Choosing the items to use in the basket of products is difficult. For example, cheese may not be popular in some countries and there are lots of different types of cheese too
Limitations of Using GDP for Comparisons
A Table Which Explains the Limitations of Using GDP Data To Compare Living Standards Between Countries and Over Time
Lack of information provided |
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Quality of goods/services |
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Does not include unpaid/voluntary work |
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Differences in hours worked |
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Environmental factors |
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National Happiness
National happiness and societal well-being are measured in the UK by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
While GDP focuses on production, happiness focuses on health, relationships, the environment, education, satisfaction at work and living conditions
National incomes statistics tend to present more positive data, while national happiness surveys yield more normative data
There is a link between income and happiness and the Easterlin Paradox is often used to explain it
Happiness and increases in income have a direct relationship up to a point
Beyond that point, the relationship is less evident
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The measurement was devised in the 1970s by Bhutan's fourth king, who believed that GNH was more important than Gross Domestic Product
GNH as a concept has spread from Bhutan. The United Nations now publishes an annual World Happiness Report
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