Different World Economies

Economic Geography

TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT

• Power to the People or Many

• Power to the Government or Few

Adam SmithAdam Smith (1723-1790) is considered the father of modern economic theory

Wealth of Nations

Smith held that the wealth of a nation, what we today call the income of a nation, depends upon (1) the productivity of labor and (2) the proportion of laborers who are usefully employed. Because he assumed that the economy will automatically achieve full employment of its resources, he examined only those forces that determine the capacity of the nation to produce goods and services.

Karl Marx

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Co-author

The Communist Manifesto

Communist Manifesto

For Marx, an ideal economic system would involve exchanges of equal value for equal value, where value is determined simply by the amount of work put into whatever is being produced.

A bicycle takes 1 hour to makeA car takes 100 hours to make

Therefore a car is worth 100 bikes

Traditional Economies/

Subsistence Farming¨ Farmers raise just enough crops

for family to survive¨ People make goods for themselves¨ Rural, non-developed countries¨ Some parts of Asia, Africa and SA¨ The Inuit in Canada is a modern

day example. ¨ Little surplus or exchange of goods

Traditional Economies¨ Farming, hunting and gathering

are done the same way as the generation before

¨ Economic activities are usually centered toward the family or ethnic unit

¨ Men and Women are given different economic roles and tasks

Subsistence Agriculture self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families.

Cottage Industry

Small scale industries based in the home.

Command Economies¨ The government or other central

authority makes decisions and determines how resources will be used

¨ Change can occur relatively easily¨ There is little individual freedom¨ There is no competition¨ Businesses are not run to create a profit

Command Economies

¨ Consumers have few chooses in the market place

¨ Factories are concerned with quotas¨ Shortages are common because of

poorly run factories and farms¨ The government dictates the job in

which you work

Command Economies¨ The government sets the prices of goods

and services

¨ Examples of command economies: Cuba, North Korea and the People’s Republic of China

Free Market EconomiesCapitalism

Free Enterprise¨ Profit is the motive for increasing work

rather than quotas¨ Resources are owned and controlled by

individuals¨ Economic decisions are made by

individuals competing to earn profits¨ Individual freedom is considered very

important¨ SUPPLY AND DEMAND Wide selection

of consumer goods

Market Economies

¨ There are many economic freedoms

¨ There is competition among businesses

¨ Competition determines price which increase the quality of the product

SocialistMixed Economies

¨ Government owns large industries and sets some prices

¨ Government and individuals share the decision making process

¨ Government guides and regulates production of goods and services offered

¨ Individuals own means of production¨ Protects consumers and workers from unfair

policies

Physical Geography affects on economic activities Saudi Arabia has vast oil reserves So it produces and refines oil

Because of its climate and soil Columbia grows coffee beans

Because Japan consists of islands Many people there engage in fishing

Four Types of Economics¨ Traditional Economies¨ Command Economies¨ Free Market Economies¨ Socialist Economies

¨ Physical Geography

Review