Economic Comparison
Name:_______________________________________________________________ HOUR:__________
Economics
First we need to take a moment to look at how economists categorize
economies. A market economy is characterized by private ownership of the
means of production (for example, farms and factories), and supply and
demand are responsible for the price and allocation decisions. The United
States, Hong Kong, and Germany are considered market economies. A
command economy is characterized by government (or central) control
ownership of the means of production, and with a central authority setting
prices of goods and services and for most allocation decisions. North Korea
and Cuba are command, or more specifically communist, economies. A
developing economy is one which is not yet industrialized, but is developing. Chad, Ecuador,
and Bangladesh are considered developing nations.
In this lesson, you will compare several aspects of the economies of the United States
(representing a market economy), North Korea (representing a command economy), and Chad
(representing a developing economy). Use the Comparative Systems Worksheet. Go to the CIA
World Factbook (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html)
website to find the information needed to complete the chart.
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