Economic Systems Traditional, Command, Market, and Mixed

Economic Systems Economic systems answer the questions: What to produce? How to produce? How to distribute? Economics is the study of how people use scarce resources to meet unlimited demand. Some people like to think of economics as a study of supply and demand.

Traditional Economy Customs and habits of the past are used to decide what and how goods will be produced, distributed and consumed. Jobs are handed down from generation to generation. Very little change occurs over the generations Primitive tools and methods are used. Farming, hunting and gathering, and cattle herding are examples of a traditional economy

Command Economy The government makes the decisions on which goods and services to produce. Usually in a communist country Workers are told what to produce and how much to produce within a period of time (quota). The wages earned by employees is set by the government. The government does NOT always know what the people need. Luxury items like computers and televisions are priced high.

Market Economy Known as capitalism and free enterprise Businesses and farms are owned by individuals or corporations with no government involvement The law of supply and demand determines the price that people pay for items There is no true market economy today The US is the closest to a true market economy

Mixed Economy Most countries are MIXED economies. In a mixed economy decisions are made by businesses based on consumer demands. However, the government also makes some decisions: – Regulates trade – Ensures safety of consumers – Protects the environment. Some examples are the U.K., Germany, Russia, the U.S.