SATHEE: Nature and Types of Economics

Nature and Types of Economics

Microeconomics
- Focuses on the behavior of individual agents (households, firms, consumers) and markets.
- Studies how prices are determined in specific markets.
- Examines the allocation of resources at the individual level.
Macroeconomics
- Focuses on the economy as a whole.
- Studies aggregate indicators like GDP, inflation, unemployment, and economic growth.
- Analyzes the performance, structure, and behavior of the entire economy.

Aspect	Microeconomics	Macroeconomics
Scope	Individual, firm, market	Entire economy
Focus	Price determination, resource allocation	Aggregate economic performance
Tools Used	Supply and demand, elasticity	National income accounting, fiscal policy
Examples	Price of apples, labor market	GDP growth, inflation, unemployment

Microeconomics Terms:
- Supply and Demand
- Price Elasticity
- Market Structures (Perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic competition)
- Consumer Surplus and Producer Surplus
Macroeconomics Terms:
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
- Inflation Rate
- Unemployment Rate
- Fiscal Policy (Government spending and taxation)
- Monetary Policy (Interest rates, money supply)

Microeconomics is often tested in questions related to market structures, price determination, and consumer behavior.
Macroeconomics is frequently covered in questions about national income, economic indicators, and government policies.
GDP is a central concept in macroeconomics and is a common topic in SSC and RRB exams.
Inflation and unemployment are key macroeconomic indicators that appear in many exam questions.
Supply and demand is a fundamental concept in microeconomics and is often tested in multiple-choice questions.

Microeconomics Example: A firm deciding to increase the price of its product based on demand elasticity.
Macroeconomics Example: The government implementing a stimulus package to boost economic growth during a recession.

Microeconomics is the study of individual economic units.
Macroeconomics deals with the overall performance of the economy.
GDP is the most commonly used measure of a country’s economic output.
Fiscal Policy involves government spending and taxation to influence the economy.
Monetary Policy is managed by the central bank to control inflation and interest rates.

Topic	Definition	Key Focus	Common Exam Questions
Microeconomics	Study of individual agents and markets	Price, supply, demand, elasticity	Market structures, price determination
Macroeconomics	Study of the economy as a whole	GDP, inflation, unemployment, growth	National income, fiscal and monetary policy