Characteristics of a Mixed Economic System (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Economics)

Revision Note

Characteristics of a Mixed Economic System

  • Any economic system needs to decide how to answer the three fundamental economic questions (see: 2.2.1 The (Free) Market System)

    • What to produce? More weapons for the military or more schools to educate the children?

    • Who to produce for? Only those who can afford to pay for it? Or for everyone in society?

    • How to produce it? Should more labour be used or should the economy focus on using technology instead?

  • A mixed economic system is a blend of a market and planned economy

    • Individuals, firms and the government own factors of production and distribute goods/services

    • In reality, almost every country in the world operates as a mixed economic system

    • Some countries have more government intervention than others e.g. China has more intervention than the USA

    • The higher the level of government intervention, the more the economy will lean towards operating like a planned economy 

  • Governments intervention is necessary for several reasons  

Flowchart illustrating reasons for government intervention in markets: correct market failure, support firms, promote equity, collect government revenue, support poorer households.
A diagram showing several reasons for government intervention in mixed economic systems  
  • To correct market failure: in many markets there is a less than optimal allocation of resources from society's point of view

    • In maximising their self-interest, firms and individuals will not self-correct this misallocation of resources and there is a role for the government

    • Governments often achieve this by influencing the level of production or consumption  

  • Earn government revenue: governments need money to provide essential services, public and merit goods

    • Revenue is raised through intervention such as taxation, privatisation, sale of licenses (e.g. 5G licenses), and the sale of goods/services

  • Promote equity: to reduce the opportunity gap between the rich and poor  

  • Support firms: in a global economy, governments choose to support key industries so as to help them remain competitive  

  • Support poorer households: poverty has multiple impacts on both the individual and the economy 

    • Intervention seeks to redistribute income (tax the rich and give to the poor) so as to reduce the impact of poverty

  • As we have seen in 2.10.3 Government Intervention to Address Market Failure, four of the most commonly used methods to intervene in markets are indirect taxation, subsidies, maximum prices, and minimum prices  

  • Additional methods of intervention include regulation, nationalisation, privatisation, and the State provision of public goods

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