I. What is Economics? A. Definition: The study of how societies allocate scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants and needs. B. Key concepts: Scarcity, opportunity cost, supply, demand, incentives.
II. Microeconomics vs. Macroeconomics
A. Microeconomics: Study of individual economic units (e.g., households, firms). B. Macroeconomics: Study of the economy as a whole (e.g., GDP, inflation, unemployment).
III. Basic Economic Principles
A. Law of Supply and Demand. B. Production Possibility Frontier (PPF). C. Marginal Analysis: Comparing benefits and costs at the margin.
IV. Types of Economic Systems
A. Market Economy: Decisions made by individuals and businesses. B. Command Economy: Central authority (government) makes decisions. C. Mixed Economy: Combines elements of market and command economies.
V. Key Economic Indicators
A. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). B. Inflation Rate. C. Unemployment Rate.
VI. Economic Policy Tools
A. Fiscal Policy: Government spending and taxation. B. Monetary Policy: Control of money supply and interest rates.