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Role of government in a free market economy
Economic systems ukessay
Introduction to economic system
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Table of Contents
Traditional economy 3
Command economy 4
Market economy 5
Mixed economy 6
Conclusion 7
Introduction
An economic system is where goods and services are produced, consumed, and distributed. It is also the way resources (also known as factors of production) are controlled in a nation. Economic systems aims at solving the three economic activities which are: “what should be produced? How should it be produced? For whom should it be produced?” economic systems do not always work well, but they are often so vast and complicated that it is quite marvellous that they work at all. There are four main economic systems namely, the traditional system, command system, and the mixed economy. These economic systems are generally recognized by economists, but they do not completely agree on the question of which system best addresses the challenge of scarcity.
The traditional system
It is shaped by tradition. The work done by people, the goods and services they provide, how they use and exchange resources, all tend to follow long-established patterns. In traditional economy, interest of the community takes precedence over the individual. Individuals may be expected to combine their efforts and share equally in the proceeds of their labour.in other traditional economies, some sort of private property is restricted by a strong set of obligations that individuals owe their community (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008).
The same goods are produced and distributed in the same way by each successive generation. Each participant’s method and task of production are prescribed by the custom. Economic system is not a priority in traditional economy. Usually, economic activity is secondary to religious and cultural values (Mohr ...
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All societies today are faced with the economic problem of relative scarcity. Relative scarcity rises from the fact that all our wants and needs cannot be completely satisfied as we have a limited amount of resources. Australia, which is predominately a market economy, is faced with this particular economic problem of relative scarcity, which results in facing the three choices of what to produce, how to produce and for whom to produce.
The first type of economic system that they movie shows is a traditional system. A traditional economy is an economic system in which the allocation of scarce resources and other economic activity is the result of ritual habit or customs. In other words a traditional economy is a barter or trade system, everybody decides WHAT WHEN and FOR WHOM. When the video first starts the Mochans had to trade all over the island to acquire what needed. After a while they had enough of trading the chief decided to switch to currency instead of trade.
Throughout history there has been a common theme of progression towards more complex societies. The advent of agriculture enabled population sizes to increase, and allowed permanent settlements to arise. As extensive cultivation of farmland progressed, a surplus of food was created that enabled some people within a society to be non-food producers. These people who no longer were required to farm in order to survive were able to develop marketable goods that they could exchange for food. This transition towards interdependence, (craftsmen depending on exchanging their goods for food), brought with it an opportunity for the government within each society to exact some tribute for monitoring the economy, and making sure that exchanges went smoothly. This led to societies with a well-defined hierarchy and slowly led to the abolition of the egalitarian societies where everyone engages in the same means of production. Within these aforementioned egalitarian societies there is some occupational specialization, but it is based on the skill of the craftsmen, and no one is a full time specialist. The differences in the economies of Copan, Teotihuacan, and ancient Rome, can illustrate why and how economies increase in complexity, and what criteria are necessary for large-scale economic specialization. More specifically, what factors limited Copan and Teotihuacan, preventing them from attaining the population size, and economic complexity of ancient Rome.
Hunt discusses the way in which Ancient Greece and Rome forced many people into slavery and created many treatises in order to organize society by decree of ideology. Society had to be structured in order to properly operate, as Diamond conveys the idea that ideologies must be present for the society to have structural integrity. Once again, in chapter 14, Diamond discusses the importance of ideology as groups structure in bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states. As groups progress and evolve their ideologies, society advances and allows prosperity and welfare among the people. On the contrary, Hunt discusses the importance of custom and tradition within medieval societies. Many of these societies lacked the central authority that allowed for organization, so many systems were based off the mutual obligations and services of the people. This allowed for various ideologies to facilitate the advancement of society as their changes altered the changes of society. Thus, the medieval societies required much attentiveness to following ideology in order to operate on a sound
the relationship between individual autonomy, the freedom to make one’s own choices in life, and social structure, the rules governing social interaction stemming from common cultural values. Lee considers the issues that arise when thinking of these two concepts as mutually exclusive, especially in Western society. While Lee explores these issues through examination of various themes within several societies, the following arguments will focus on her analysis of the distribution of labour in traditional Balinese culture. Namely, Lee argues that social structure ought to facilitate mutual respect, which allows for true individual autonomy.
Economic systems are affected by the two opposing systems of capitalism and communism. They each can meet the needs of people; however, both affect the lives of people in good and bad ways, affecting industrialized nations and nations in the process of being industrialized. Capitalism is all about wealth and the wealth of people. Capitalism met the needs of the people because the right to property was created. You can own your own house, factories and land.
The emergence of market society is what Polanyi refers to as “the great transformation” (Polanyi, 1957). This great transformation is significant when discussing market society, as it is a transformation of all society. It brought forth change in the organization of the market system, and therefore society due to its efficiency in production, distribution and commodification of labour, land and money. Many changes took place with the emergence of market society, especially in relation to labour, or the work of people.
Imagine a system in which everyone can gain wealth in a free market. A place where hard work actually pays off. Where freedom of speech actually allows unreserved opinion. This is a Capitalism. Resolution: Capitalism is the most basic form of economic system.
Polanyi, Karl. "Societies and Economic Systems," "The Self Regulating Market and Fictitious Commodities: Labour, Land, and Money." "The Great Transformation. Boston: Beacon Press, 1957. pp. 43-55, 68-75
Today most economic activity is considered to be part of a disembedded economy. In a disembedded economy, economic activity occurs only for economic reasons, so it is the opposite of an embedded economy. Economic activity is completely independent from such institutions as family or friendship. An example, of activity in a disembedded economy is a person going to a grocery store and buying bread. There is no other institution involved in the economic process of production and distribution of the bread which is why this would occur in a disembedded economy. The producer of the bread is making the bread so that he can sell it and get money for it, the consumer is buying the bread so it will belong to him.
Capitalism is an economic system characterized by the private ownership of the means of production, and where production is guided and income distributed largely through the operation of markets. The objective of a capitalist society is to gain profit.
Since these traditions have become apparent through centuries they are customary and have a tendency to lack individualism, as the group among which a person lives is seen as more important over the individual. In many parts of the world today, you can examine such cultures and see the ways that individuals offer themselves to family and community life.
The Economy is the backbone to society. There are many factors that operate in, and govern our society’s economical structure. Factors such as scarcity and choice, opportunity cost, marginal analysis, microeconomics, macroeconomics, factors of production, production possibilities, law of increasing opportunity cost, economic systems, circular flow model, money, and economic costs and profits all contribute to what is known as the economy. These properties as well as a few others, work together to influence the economy. Microeconomics and Macroeconomics are two major components. Both of these are broken down into several different components that dictate societal norms and views.
Milberg, Wand Heilbroner, R.L (2009). The Making of Economic Society. 12th ed. US: Pearson International Edition . 54-62
There are two types of economic systems that a society may adhere to; which are polar opposites. The Command system, also known as communism or socialism. In a command economy, the government owns the majority of the resources, and all decisions for the society is made based on a central plan. The command system has been adopted by countries such as the Soviet Union, China and North Korea. This economic system is commonly used by countries under a dictatorship. Despite the negative aura surrounding a dictatorship this system does have its pros and