Conflicts Between Macroeconomic Aims (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Economics)

Revision Note

Steve Vorster

Written by: Steve Vorster

Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn

Trade-offs Between Macroeconomic Objectives

  • Policy decisions by governments often create a trade-off in the macroeconomic objectives

  • Achieving one objective may come at the cost of worsening progress in another objective

An Explanation of the Common Trade-Offs That Exist Between the Macroeconomic Objectives

Trade-off

Explanation

Economic Growth and Inflation

  • Increasing economic growth causes the economy to move closer to full employment

  • Prices for remaining resources are bid up leading to inflation which may outpace the target inflation rate of 2%

Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability

  • Economic growth often increases pollution, negative externalities and the depletion of non-renewable resources

  • The higher the growth, the faster the depletion

Economic Growth and Inequality

  • During periods of high economic growth, the profits the owners of the factors of production receive are disproportionate to any increase in workers' wages leading to greater inequality

Economic Growth and Balancing the Current Account

  • Economic growth usually leads to higher incomes which leads to an increase in imports by households thereby worsening the current account balance

Low Unemployment and Low Inflation

  • The closer an economy moves to full employment the less workers will be available for hire and wage inflation will help increase overall inflation

Low Unemployment and Balancing the Current Account

  • When unemployment is low, incomes are higher and imports increase which worsens the current account balance

  • Additionally, with low unemployment wages tend to increase which increases costs of production for firms and if they increase their prices, then the level of exports is likely to fall 

Examiner Tips and Tricks

You are examined on trade-offs and conflicts both MCQ and in longer essay questions. In your longer responses, make sure you explain all of the steps in the process e.g. if economic growth increases too quickly, there is likely to be demand-pull inflation, which raises the cost of living for the citizens, resulting in them feeling poorer, as the purchasing power of their wage has decreased

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Steve Vorster

Author: Steve Vorster

Expertise: Economics & Business Subject Lead

Steve has taught A Level, GCSE, IGCSE Business and Economics - as well as IBDP Economics and Business Management. He is an IBDP Examiner and IGCSE textbook author. His students regularly achieve 90-100% in their final exams. Steve has been the Assistant Head of Sixth Form for a school in Devon, and Head of Economics at the world's largest International school in Singapore. He loves to create resources which speed up student learning and are easily accessible by all.

Jenna Quinn

Author: Jenna Quinn

Expertise: Head of New Subjects

Jenna studied at Cardiff University before training to become a science teacher at the University of Bath specialising in Biology (although she loves teaching all three sciences at GCSE level!). Teaching is her passion, and with 10 years experience teaching across a wide range of specifications – from GCSE and A Level Biology in the UK to IGCSE and IB Biology internationally – she knows what is required to pass those Biology exams.