{"id":5856,"date":"2016-07-19T18:00:45","date_gmt":"2016-07-19T18:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/macroeconomics\/?post_type=chapter&p=5856"},"modified":"2016-08-02T16:31:03","modified_gmt":"2016-08-02T16:31:03","slug":"reading-economic-systems","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-macroeconomics\/chapter\/reading-economic-systems\/","title":{"raw":"Reading: Economic Systems","rendered":"Reading: Economic Systems"},"content":{"raw":"[caption id=\"attachment_5634\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"650\"]\"A<\/a> Legoland, Billund, Denmark: Picture of a Planned Economy?[\/caption]\r\n

Types\u00a0of\u00a0Economies<\/h2>\r\nIn the modern world today, there is\u00a0a range of economic systems, from market economies to planned (or command) economies.\r\n

Market Economies<\/h3>\r\nA\u00a0market<\/strong>\u00a0is any situation that brings together buyers and sellers of goods or services. Buyers and sellers can be either individuals or businesses. In a\u00a0market economy<\/strong>, economic decision-making happens through markets. Market economies are based on\u00a0private enterprise:\u00a0the means of production (resources and businesses) are owned and operated by private individuals or groups of private individuals. Businesses supply goods and services based on demand. Which goods and services are supplied depends on what is demanded by consumers or other businesses. A person\u2019s income is based on his or her ability to convert resources (especially labor) into something that society values. The more society values the person\u2019s output, the higher the income they will earn (think Lady Gaga or LeBron James).\r\n\r\nExamples of free-market economies include Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and the United States.\r\n

Free Markets\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nIn a\u00a0market economy<\/strong>, decisions about what products are available and at what prices are determined through the interaction of supply and demand. A\u00a0competitive market<\/strong>\u00a0is one in which\u00a0there is\u00a0a large number of buyers and sellers, so that no one can control the market price. A\u00a0free market<\/strong>\u00a0is one in which the\u00a0government does not intervene in any way. A free and competitive market economy is the ideal type of market economy, because what is supplied is exactly what consumers demand.\r\n\r\nPrice controls are an example of a market that is not free. When government intervenes, the market outcomes will be different from those that would occur in a free and competitive market model. When markets are less than perfectly competitive (e.g., monopolistic), the market outcomes will also differ.\r\n

Planned (or Command) Economies<\/h3>\r\n\"The<\/a>\r\n\r\nCommand economies operate very differently. In a\u00a0command economy<\/strong>, economic effort is devoted to goals passed down from a ruler or ruling class. Ancient Egypt was a good example: A large part of economic life was devoted to building pyramids (like the one\u00a0at the left), for the pharaohs. Medieval manor life is another example: The lord provided the land for growing crops and protection in the event of war. In return, vassals provided labor and soldiers to do the lord\u2019s bidding. In the last century, communism emphasized command economies.\r\n\r\nIn a command economy, resources and businesses are owned by the government. The government decides what goods and services will be produced and what prices will be charged for them. The government decides what methods of production will be used and how much workers will be paid. Some necessities like health care and education are provided for free, as long as the state determines that you need them. Currently, North Korea and Cuba have command economies.\r\n\r\nThe primary distinction between a free and command economy is the degree to which the government\u00a0determines what\u00a0can be produced and what prices will be charged.\u00a0In a free market, these determinations\u00a0are made by the collective decisions of the market itself (which is comprised of producers and consumers). Producers and consumers make rational decisions about what will satisfy their self-interest and maximize profits, and the market responds accordingly. In a planned economy, the government makes most decisions about what will be produced and what the prices will be, and the market must follow that plan.\r\n\r\nMost economies in the real world are mixed; they combine elements of command and market systems. The U.S. economy is positioned toward the market-oriented end of the spectrum. Many countries in Europe and Latin America, while primarily market-oriented, have a greater degree of government involvement in economic decisions than in\u00a0the U.S. economy. China and Russia, while they are closer now to having a market-oriented system than several decades ago, remain closer to the command-economy end of the spectrum.\r\n\r\nThe following Crash Course video provides additional information\u00a0about the broad economic choices\u00a0that countries make\u00a0when they decide\u00a0between planned and market economies. The narrators talk fast, so you'll need to listen closely and possibly watch the video a second time!\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/B43YEW2FvDs?t=34s\r\n\r\nEconomic systems determine the following:\r\n