Chapter 25. Production and Growth. Exercises 1-4
Chapter 25. Production and Growth. Exercises 1-4. Gregory Mankiw. Principles of Economics 7th Edition.
1. Most countries, including the United States, import substantial amounts of goods and services from other countries. Yet the chapter says that a nation can enjoy a high standard of living only if it can produce a large quantity of goods and services itself. Can you reconcile these two facts?
2. Suppose that society decided to reduce consumption
3. Societies choose what share of their resources to devote to consumption and what share to devote to investment. Some of these decisions involve private spending; others involve government spending.
a. Describe some forms of private spending that represent consumption and some forms that represent investment. The national income accounts include tuition as a part of consumer spending. In your opinion, are the resources you devote to your education a form of consumption or a form of investment?
b. Describe some forms of government spending that represent consumption and some forms that represent investment. In your opinion, should we view government spending on health programs as a form of consumption or investment? Would you distinguish between health programs for the young and health programs for the elderly?
4. What is the opportunity cost of investing in capital? Do you think a country can “overinvest” in capital? What is the opportunity cost of investing in human capital? Do you think a country can “overinvest” in human capital? Explain.