The American Free Market
System
Economy

The system through which people in a
society make choices about how to use
their limited resources to produce goods
and services.
Scarcity

The inability to satisfy all wants at the same time.
All resources and goods are limited. This requires
that choices be made.
Choice

Selecting an item or action from a set of
possible alternatives. Individuals must
choose/make decisions about desired
goods and services because these goods
and services are limited.
Opportunity Cost

What is given up when a choice is made—
the highest valued alternative foregone.
Individuals must consider the value of
what is given up when making a choice.
Resources

Factors of production that are used in the
production of goods and services. Types of
resources are natural, human, capital, and
entrepreneurship.
Price

The amount of money exchanged for a good or
service. Interaction of supply and demand
determines price. Price determines who acquires
goods and services.
Incentives


Things that incite or motivate. Incentives
are used to change economic behavior.
Examples?
Demand

The amount of a good or service that
consumers are willing and able to buy at a
certain price.
Supply

The amount of a good or service that
producers are willing and able to sell at a
certain price.
Interaction of Supply &
Demand

Determines price.
Supply and Demand for the Hand Held
All-American Game System
Quantity Supplied
0
Price
$ 10
Quantity Demanded
150
129
2
$ 30
98
19
$40
70
30
$50
50
50
$60
29
72
$70
19
100
$80
8
125
$90
2
150
$100
1
8
Production

The combining of human, natural, capital,
and entrepreneurship resources to make
goods or provide services.
Consumption

Using goods and services. Consumer
preferences and price determine what is
purchased.
Free Markets

Markets that are allowed to operate
without undue interference from the
government.
Private Property

Individuals and businesses have the right
to own personal property as well as the
means of production without undue
interference from the government.
Profit

Profit consists of earnings after all
expenses have been paid.
Competition

Rivalry between producers/sellers of a
good or service results in better quality
goods and services at a lower price.
Consumer Sovereignty

Through their purchases, consumers
determine what goods and services will be
produced
Proprietorship

A form of business organization with one
owner who takes all the risks and all the
profits.
Partnership

A form of business organization with two
or more owners who share the risks and
the profits.
Entrepreneur

A person who takes a risk to produce
goods and services in search of profit
Corporation

A form of business organization that is
authorized by law to act as a legal person
regardless of the number of owners.
Owners share the profits. Owner liability is
limited to investment.
3 Types of Economies
Basic Economic Questions




What and how much to produce?
How to produce goods and services?
Who will get what is produced?
The type of economy a govt. has is
determined by how it answers the above
questions.
Economies
Free Market
Command
Mixed
Market Economy Characteristics





Private ownership of property and
resources
Profit
Competition
Consumer sovereignty
Individual choice
What and how much to
produce?

Answered by consumer sovereignty and
supply and demand.
How to produce goods and
services?

Determined by individual business owners
Who will get what is produced?

Those with higher paying jobs will buy
more of the goods and services than those
who don’t.
Command Economy Characteristics



Central (govt.) ownership of property and
resources.
Centrally-planned economy
Lack of consumer choice
Basic decisions answered by the
government


In this type, the government owns important parts of
the economy and they decide what and how much of a
product will be produced.
The “goods” usually go to a dictator or are split up
equally among the citizens.
Mixed Economy Characteristics




Individuals and businesses as decision
makers for the private sector
Government as decision maker for the
public sector
A greater government role than in a free
market economy
Most common economic system today
Modern – Day Economies

Today most
economies are mixed,
or they contain a
mixture of command
and market
economies.
United States Economy
Characteristics
Free markets

Allowed to operate
without undue
interference from the
government.
Private property

Individuals have the
right to own personal
property as well as
the means of
production without
undue interference
from the government.
Profit

Earnings after all
expenses have been
paid.
Competition

Rivalry between producers/sellers of a
good or service results in better quality
goods and services at a lower price.
Consumer sovereignty

Consumers determine through purchases,
what goods and services will be produced.
Economic Flow

Individuals (households) own the
resources used in production, sell the
resources, and use the income to
purchase products.

Businesses (producers) buy resources;
make products that are sold to individuals,
other businesses, and the government;
and use the profits to buy more resources.

Governments use tax revenue from
individuals and businesses to provide
public goods and services.
Producers pay for resources received
Individuals and businesses
provide resources (land,
labor and capital) that
businesses use to create
goods
taxes
Public goods
and services
Public goods
and services
taxes
Businesses sell their goods
to consumers in the market
place.
Consumers pay for goods and services
Characteristics of Private Financial
Institutions



Include banks, savings and loans, credit
unions, and securities brokerages
Receive deposits and make loans
Encourage saving and investing by paying
interest on deposits
Ways the government promotes
marketplace competition

Enforcing antitrust legislation to
discourage the development of
monopolies

Engaging in global trade

Supporting business start-ups
Government agencies that regulate
business

FCC (Federal Communications
Commission)

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

FTC (Federal Trade Commission)