essay on the economic system

Free Economic Systems & Principles Essay Examples & Topics

An economic system definition refers to a set of principles created for an efficient recourse allocation, production, and distribution of goods and services within a particular geographic area. It is a complex decision-making structure formed by multiple entities and institutions. Its key aim is to ensure a smooth flow of consumption and production patterns within a society.

Economic systems play a crucial role for the counties and governments. They control five factors of production: capital, labor, entrepreneurship, information resources, and land. For ordinary citizens of a country, the given factors are essential since they influence economic growth. Thus, the employment rates, availability of goods and services, and salary rates depend on this system.

In your economic system essay, you can discuss how these systems operate across countries and even historical periods. Our experts have come up with tips for writing this paper. Also, you will discover the main types of economic systems and see free samples.

Key Types of Economic Systems

There are many facts about economic systems that you should learn before writing a paper on this subject. But first and foremost, you need to distinguish between their types. See what kinds you can explore in your essay on the economic system:

• Traditional economic system.

The traditional economic system is the oldest one. It primarily relies on people, their customs and basic needs. In other words, the community produces and distributes only the goods and services that individuals require at the given moment. Sometimes, people even prefer bartering rather than paying with money. Thus, there is a meager chance to generate a surplus, which makes the system highly sustainable.

• Pure market economic system.

This system is characterized by the separation of the economy from the government. Authorities have little control over resource allocation, production, and distribution. However, a pure market economic system does not exist in the real world. The central authority will always interfere with the economy and enact regulations for fair trade, monopolies, oligopolies, etc.

• Pure command economic system.

In a command economic system, the government plays a leading role in controlling the business processes that occur in a country. In an ideal case scenario, the central authority should focus on the population’s fundamental interests. It would make this system better for society. Yet, the governments often fail to determine the consumers’ significant needs. It leads to a slow reaction to changes and economic crises.

• Mixed economic system.

The last system here is a combination of two or more practices. Most commonly, a mixed economy includes the elements of command and market ones. In this case, the market is free from national ownership. Yet, the government takes control over the significant production branches, like oil and transportation. The main advantage of the mixed economy is that it allows private enterprises to operate more effectively and reduce production costs.

How to Write an Economy System Essay

Assigned to write an economic systems essay for high school or college? You are most likely to be composing an argumentative or persuasive paper. In this case, you have to follow specific rules and a 5-paragraph structure.

Let’s consider them in detail:

• Pick or develop a topic.

It is the most crucial part of your writing process. Find or come up with a topic that corresponds to the assignment and interests you. Make sure that your idea is neither too narrow nor too broad.

Some of the possible examples might be:

• Capitalism vs. socialism: a comparative economic analysis.
• Economic systems in Islamic cultures, their strong and weak sides.
• The impact of COVID-19 on the global economy.
• Research it and collect sources.

Once you’ve decided on your topic, start your research. Check several sources and pick the best ones for citing in your paper. Ideally, these should be academic journals, peer-reviewed articles, official websites of governmental organizations, etc.

• Come up with a thesis statement.

Your thesis statement will guide the readers throughout your entire paper. Compose a concise sentence that would clearly reflect the message of your essay.

For example, you chose the topic “The impact of COVID-19 on the global economy.” In this case, the thesis statement might be the following:

The rapid spreading of the COVID-19 disease has an adverse effect on multiple economic dimensions: global trade, unemployment, and inflation.

If you struggle to formulate your message, try our thesis statement generator .

• Formulate a catchy hook.

To grab your readers’ attention from the first sentence, come up with a catchy hook. You can start your essay with a meaningful quote or a personal story related to the topic. Another option would be to present interesting statistics or exciting facts.

Let’s take a look at the possible example of the hook for the topic “The impact of COVID-19 on the global economy:”

The Coronavirus pandemic harms both: human health and global economic health. The World Health Organization announced that a viral outbreak of COVD-19 reached the pandemic level. Since then, the global economy has lost $90 trillion. The world has not experienced such a financial scarcity in nearly a century.

• Introduce your topic.

Compose a dynamic introduction. It should include a hook, a general background of the chosen topic, and a thesis statement. The best way to structure the introduction is to put your thesis statement as the last sentence of the paragraph.

• Provide your points in the body.

The essay body should have several paragraphs, each one for a specific point. Sate the problem in the topic sentence. Briefly elaborate on your argument in a sentence or two. Finally, provide supporting evidence from the sources. Apply the same structure to each body paragraph.

• Conclude your paper.

In your conclusion, summarize all the key points and restate your thesis. Never include any additional arguments or examples – it will only confuse your readers. Finish your essay with a final memorable thought. Or motivate the audience to investigate the topic further.

Thank you for reading our article! Below you will find economic system essay examples. They can help you a lot with the understanding of our advice.

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1.1 What Is Economics, and Why Is It Important?

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Discuss the importance of studying economics
• Explain the relationship between production and division of labor
• Evaluate the significance of scarcity

Economics is the study of how humans make decisions in the face of scarcity. These can be individual decisions, family decisions, business decisions or societal decisions. If you look around carefully, you will see that scarcity is a fact of life. Scarcity means that human wants for goods, services and resources exceed what is available. Resources, such as labor, tools, land, and raw materials are necessary to produce the goods and services we want but they exist in limited supply. Of course, the ultimate scarce resource is time- everyone, rich or poor, has just 24 expendable hours in the day to earn income to acquire goods and services, for leisure time, or for sleep. At any point in time, there is only a finite amount of resources available.

Think about it this way: In 2015 the labor force in the United States contained over 158 million workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The total land area was 3,794,101 square miles. While these are certainly large numbers, they are not infinite. Because these resources are limited, so are the numbers of goods and services we produce with them. Combine this with the fact that human wants seem to be virtually infinite, and you can see why scarcity is a problem.

Introduction to FRED

Data is very important in economics because it describes and measures the issues and problems that economics seek to understand. A variety of government agencies publish economic and social data. For this course, we will generally use data from the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank's FRED database. FRED is very user friendly. It allows you to display data in tables or charts, and you can easily download it into spreadsheet form if you want to use the data for other purposes. The FRED website includes data on nearly 400,000 domestic and international variables over time, in the following broad categories:

• Money, Banking & Finance
• Population, Employment, & Labor Markets (including Income Distribution)
• National Accounts (Gross Domestic Product & its components), Flow of Funds, and International Accounts
• Production & Business Activity (including Business Cycles)
• Prices & Inflation (including the Consumer Price Index, the Producer Price Index, and the Employment Cost Index)
• International Data from other nations
• U.S. Regional Data
• Academic Data (including Penn World Tables & NBER Macrohistory database)

For more information about how to use FRED, see the variety of videos on YouTube starting with this introduction.

If you still do not believe that scarcity is a problem, consider the following: Does everyone require food to eat? Does everyone need a decent place to live? Does everyone have access to healthcare? In every country in the world, there are people who are hungry, homeless (for example, those who call park benches their beds, as Figure 1.2 shows), and in need of healthcare, just to focus on a few critical goods and services. Why is this the case? It is because of scarcity. Let’s delve into the concept of scarcity a little deeper, because it is crucial to understanding economics.

The Problem of Scarcity

Think about all the things you consume: food, shelter, clothing, transportation, healthcare, and entertainment. How do you acquire those items? You do not produce them yourself. You buy them. How do you afford the things you buy? You work for pay. If you do not, someone else does on your behalf. Yet most of us never have enough income to buy all the things we want. This is because of scarcity. So how do we solve it?

Visit this website to read about how the United States is dealing with scarcity in resources.

Every society, at every level, must make choices about how to use its resources. Families must decide whether to spend their money on a new car or a fancy vacation. Towns must choose whether to put more of the budget into police and fire protection or into the school system. Nations must decide whether to devote more funds to national defense or to protecting the environment. In most cases, there just isn’t enough money in the budget to do everything. How do we use our limited resources the best way possible, that is, to obtain the most goods and services we can? There are a couple of options. First, we could each produce everything we each consume. Alternatively, we could each produce some of what we want to consume, and “trade” for the rest of what we want. Let’s explore these options. Why do we not each just produce all of the things we consume? Think back to pioneer days, when individuals knew how to do so much more than we do today, from building their homes, to growing their crops, to hunting for food, to repairing their equipment. Most of us do not know how to do all—or any—of those things, but it is not because we could not learn. Rather, we do not have to. The reason why is something called the division and specialization of labor , a production innovation first put forth by Adam Smith ( Figure 1.3 ) in his book, The Wealth of Nations .

The Division of and Specialization of Labor

The formal study of economics began when Adam Smith (1723–1790) published his famous book The Wealth of Nations in 1776. Many authors had written on economics in the centuries before Smith, but he was the first to address the subject in a comprehensive way. In the first chapter, Smith introduces the concept of division of labor , which means that the way one produces a good or service is divided into a number of tasks that different workers perform, instead of all the tasks being done by the same person.

To illustrate division of labor, Smith counted how many tasks went into making a pin: drawing out a piece of wire, cutting it to the right length, straightening it, putting a head on one end and a point on the other, and packaging pins for sale, to name just a few. Smith counted 18 distinct tasks that different people performed—all for a pin, believe it or not!

Modern businesses divide tasks as well. Even a relatively simple business like a restaurant divides the task of serving meals into a range of jobs like top chef, sous chefs, less-skilled kitchen help, servers to wait on the tables, a greeter at the door, janitors to clean up, and a business manager to handle paychecks and bills—not to mention the economic connections a restaurant has with suppliers of food, furniture, kitchen equipment, and the building where it is located. A complex business like a large manufacturing factory, such as the shoe factory ( Figure 1.4 ), or a hospital can have hundreds of job classifications.

Why the Division of Labor Increases Production

When we divide and subdivide the tasks involved with producing a good or service, workers and businesses can produce a greater quantity of output. In his observations of pin factories, Smith noticed that one worker alone might make 20 pins in a day, but that a small business of 10 workers (some of whom would need to complete two or three of the 18 tasks involved with pin-making), could make 48,000 pins in a day. How can a group of workers, each specializing in certain tasks, produce so much more than the same number of workers who try to produce the entire good or service by themselves? Smith offered three reasons.

First, specialization in a particular small job allows workers to focus on the parts of the production process where they have an advantage. (In later chapters, we will develop this idea by discussing comparative advantage .) People have different skills, talents, and interests, so they will be better at some jobs than at others. The particular advantages may be based on educational choices, which are in turn shaped by interests and talents. Only those with medical degrees qualify to become doctors, for instance. For some goods, geography affects specialization. For example, it is easier to be a wheat farmer in North Dakota than in Florida, but easier to run a tourist hotel in Florida than in North Dakota. If you live in or near a big city, it is easier to attract enough customers to operate a successful dry cleaning business or movie theater than if you live in a sparsely populated rural area. Whatever the reason, if people specialize in the production of what they do best, they will be more effective than if they produce a combination of things, some of which they are good at and some of which they are not.

Second, workers who specialize in certain tasks often learn to produce more quickly and with higher quality. This pattern holds true for many workers, including assembly line laborers who build cars, stylists who cut hair, and doctors who perform heart surgery. In fact, specialized workers often know their jobs well enough to suggest innovative ways to do their work faster and better.

A similar pattern often operates within businesses. In many cases, a business that focuses on one or a few products (sometimes called its “ core competency ”) is more successful than firms that try to make a wide range of products.

Third, specialization allows businesses to take advantage of economies of scale , which means that for many goods, as the level of production increases, the average cost of producing each individual unit declines. For example, if a factory produces only 100 cars per year, each car will be quite expensive to make on average. However, if a factory produces 50,000 cars each year, then it can set up an assembly line with huge machines and workers performing specialized tasks, and the average cost of production per car will be lower. The ultimate result of workers who can focus on their preferences and talents, learn to do their specialized jobs better, and work in larger organizations is that society as a whole can produce and consume far more than if each person tried to produce all of their own goods and services. The division and specialization of labor has been a force against the problem of scarcity.

Trade and Markets

Specialization only makes sense, though, if workers can use the pay they receive for doing their jobs to purchase the other goods and services that they need. In short, specialization requires trade.

You do not have to know anything about electronics or sound systems to play music—you just buy an iPod or MP3 player, download the music, and listen. You do not have to know anything about artificial fibers or the construction of sewing machines if you need a jacket—you just buy the jacket and wear it. You do not need to know anything about internal combustion engines to operate a car—you just get in and drive. Instead of trying to acquire all the knowledge and skills involved in producing all of the goods and services that you wish to consume, the market allows you to learn a specialized set of skills and then use the pay you receive to buy the goods and services you need or want. This is how our modern society has evolved into a strong economy.

Why Study Economics?

Now that you have an overview on what economics studies, let’s quickly discuss why you are right to study it. Economics is not primarily a collection of facts to memorize, although there are plenty of important concepts to learn. Instead, think of economics as a collection of questions to answer or puzzles to work. Most importantly, economics provides the tools to solve those puzzles.

Consider the complex and critical issue of education barriers on national and regional levels, which affect millions of people and result in widespread poverty and inequality. Governments, aid organizations, and wealthy individuals spend billions of dollars each year trying to address these issues. Nations announce the revitalization of their education programs; tech companies donate devices and infrastructure, and celebrities and charities build schools and sponsor students. Yet the problems remain, sometimes almost as pronounced as they were before the intervention. Why is that the case? In 2019, three economists—Esther Duflo, Abhijit Banerjee, and Michael Kremer—were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work to answer those questions. They worked diligently to break the widespread problems into smaller pieces, and experimented with small interventions to test success. The award citation credited their work with giving the world better tools and information to address poverty and improve education. Esther Duflo, who is the youngest person and second woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics, said, "We believed that like the war on cancer, the war on poverty was not going to be won in one major battle, but in a series of small triumphs. . . . This work and the culture of learning that it fostered in governments has led to real improvement in the lives of hundreds of millions of poor people.”

As you can see, economics affects far more than business. For example:

• Virtually every major problem facing the world today, from global warming, to world poverty, to the conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia, has an economic dimension. If you are going to be part of solving those problems, you need to be able to understand them. Economics is crucial.
• It is hard to overstate the importance of economics to good citizenship. You need to be able to vote intelligently on budgets, regulations, and laws in general. When the U.S. government came close to a standstill at the end of 2012 due to the “fiscal cliff,” what were the issues? Did you know?
• A basic understanding of economics makes you a well-rounded thinker. When you read articles about economic issues, you will understand and be able to evaluate the writer’s argument. When you hear classmates, co-workers, or political candidates talking about economics, you will be able to distinguish between common sense and nonsense. You will find new ways of thinking about current events and about personal and business decisions, as well as current events and politics.

The study of economics does not dictate the answers, but it can illuminate the different choices.

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Essay on Economic Systems

An economic system is composed of different but interrelated aspects that create an economic structure (Hayek, McWilliams & Churchill). Every society has an economic system; however, some communities have a similar system. The economic system is essential in a society because it addresses the needs and scarcity. A complex system of economy entails all means of production. Most societies have four basic economic systems, i.e., traditional economy, command economy, a pure market economy, and mixed economy. A command economy benefits society by addressing some important services such as health, however, it has a large bureaucracy that discourages new ideas.

A pure command economy is a well-organized economy system with a central institution that controls the means of production. The governing body is usually the central dominant that determines what, who, how and means of production. The demands and supply of goods and services are predetermined through statistical analysis (Hayek, McWilliams & Churchill). Private ownership is discouraged in this system. command economy is advantegous since there minimal chance of an overproduction crisis. Secondly, there is little wastage of resources and high savings. Scholars argue that the governing body can respond quickly to threats that might arise, such as military and economic threats. An example is a soviet response to communism in USSR. However, its disadvantages include limited motivation to work hard, and large bureaucracy results in little or no flexibility (Corporate Finance Institute, 2021). Individual and unique ideas are not rewarded, which also results in stagnant markets.

A Pure market economy comprises a free market where individuals and businesses bring together the buyers and sellers. Contrary to a command economy, a market economy comprises a decentralized in terms of decision making and structure. Most of the world’s economies are decentralized; they include the US economy. Market economy entails a large variety of products; there are also government interferences. As a result, consumers are highly satisfied, and there is the capability of gradual changes. However, fewer public facilities such as schools and healthcare are also at risk of unhealthy competition. Furthermore, it might face risks of market failure.

The traditional economy is a type of economic system that heavily relies mostly on agricultural production. Other activities include hunting and gathering. The traditional economy is the oldest system; the allocation of production and resources is based on rituals, customs, traditions, and customs by ancestors and elders(CK-Foundation, 2021). It is advantageous to society since different production and economic are determined based on gender and age. It is also stable and predictable. However, it is accompanied by low living standards, and economic progress is limited. In addition, it is criticized since it discourages new ideas and innovations.

A mixed economy entails both the characteristics of a market and command economy; hence it is sometimes referred to as a dual economic system (Corporate Finance Institute, 2021). Most modern economies are characterized by a mix of traditional, command, and free economies. In a mixed economy, some production like nuclear weapons is designated to the governing body while consumer goods and services are designated to the private sector since they can easily determine consumer needs (Hayek, McWilliams & Churchill). Although, mixed economy encounters balance challenge between state control and private sector, their equal distribution of goods and services while addressing consumer needs and wants. Also, most efficient producers are rewarded and also receive capital that can reinvest. Fourthly, it addresses the limitations in market economies like areas of nuclear weapons. However, efficient investors can disadvantage other businesses by lobbying states for tax subsidies. It can result in a monopoly of some products like nuclear.

There are four major economic systems, i.e., traditional, mixed, market, and command economy. Traditional economy mainly relies on agriculture, with ancestors and elders playing a subtle role in distributing roles. Command economy is composed of a central body governing production. It, however, does not address the consumers’ needs efficiently. The mixed economy comprises features of the three other economies . Since mixed addresses the limitations in market economies, e.g., addressing some important aspects of defense, it is the most preferred economic system. It also exhibits other characteristics of other economics; it further exhibits the advantages of other economic systems.

Corporate Finance Institute. (2021, January 30).  Economic System . https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/economics/economic-system/

Foundation, C., 2021.  CK12-Foundation . [online] CK-12 Foundation. Available at: <https://flexbooks.ck12.org/user:zxbpc2rzcziwmthaz21hawwuy29t/cbook/episd-2019-2020-economics-with-emphasis-on-the-free-enterprise-system/section/1.5/primary/lesson/economic-systems/> [Accessed 21 August 2021].

Hayek, F., McWilliams, C., & Churchill, W. The economic system. Types of economic systems. Major economic systems All types of economic systems.

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1.5: How Economies Can Be Organized- An Overview of Economic Systems

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Contrast traditional economies, command economies, and market economies
• Explain gross domestic product (GDP)
• Assess the importance and effects of globalization

Think about what a complex system a modern economy is. It includes all production of goods and services, all buying and selling, all employment. The economic life of every individual is interrelated, at least to a small extent, with the economic lives of thousands or even millions of other individuals. Who organizes and coordinates this system? Who ensures that, for example, the number of televisions a society provides is the same as the amount it needs and wants? Who ensures that the right number of employees work in the electronics industry? Who ensures that televisions are produced in the best way possible? How does it all get done?

There are at least three ways that societies organize an economy. The first is the traditional economy , which is the oldest economic system and is used in parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. Traditional economies organize their economic affairs the way they have always done (i.e., tradition). Occupations stay in the family. Most families are farmers who grow the crops using traditional methods. What you produce is what you consume. Because tradition drives the way of life, there is little economic progress or development.

Command economies are very different. In a command economy , economic effort is devoted to goals passed down from a ruler or ruling class. Ancient Egypt was a good example: a large part of economic life was devoted to building pyramids, like those in Figure 1.8, for the pharaohs. Medieval manor life is another example: the lord provided the land for growing crops and protection in the event of war. In return, vassals provided labor and soldiers to do the lord’s bidding. In the last century, communism emphasized command economies.

In a command economy, the government decides what goods and services will be produced and what prices it will charge for them. The government decides what methods of production to use and sets wages for workers. The government provides many necessities like healthcare and education for free. Currently, Cuba and North Korea have command economies.

Although command economies have a very centralized structure for economic decisions, market economies have a very decentralized structure. A market is an institution that brings together buyers and sellers of goods or services, who may be either individuals or businesses. The New York Stock Exchange (Figure 1.9) is a prime example of a market which brings buyers and sellers together. In a market economy , decision-making is decentralized. Market economies are based on private enterprise : the private individuals or groups of private individuals own and operate the means of production (resources and businesses). Businesses supply goods and services based on demand. (In a command economy, by contrast, the government owns resources and businesses.) Supply of goods and services depends on what the demands are. A person’s income is based on their ability to convert resources (especially labor) into something that society values. The more society values the person’s output, the higher the income (think Lady Gaga or LeBron James). In this scenario, market forces, not governments, determine economic decisions.

Most economies in the real world are mixed. They combine elements of command and market (and even traditional) systems. The U.S. economy is positioned toward the market-oriented end of the spectrum. Many countries in Europe and Latin America, while primarily market-oriented, have a greater degree of government involvement in economic decisions than the U.S. economy. China and Russia, while over the past several decades have moved more in the direction of having a market-oriented system, remain closer to the command economy end of the spectrum. The Heritage Foundation provides perspective on countries’ economic freedom, as the following Clear It Up feature discusses.

Clear It Up

What countries are considered economically free.

Who is in control of economic decisions? Are people free to do what they want and to work where they want? Are businesses free to produce when they want and what they choose, and to hire and fire as they wish? Are banks free to choose who will receive loans, or does the government control these kinds of choices? Each year, researchers at the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal look at 50 different categories of economic freedom for countries around the world. They give each nation a score based on the extent of economic freedom in each category. Note that while the Heritage Foundation/WSJ index is widely cited by an array of scholars and publications, it should be regarded as only one viewpoint. Some experts indicate that the index’s category choices and scores are politically biased. However, the index and others like it provide a useful resource for critical discussion of economic freedom.

The 2016 Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom report ranked 178 countries around the world: Table 1.1 lists some examples of the most free and the least free countries. Although technically not a separate country, Hong Kong has been granted a degree of autonomy such that, for purposes of measuring economic statistics, it is often treated as a separate country. Several additional countries were not ranked because of extreme instability that made judgments about economic freedom impossible. These countries include Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen.

The assigned rankings are inevitably based on estimates, yet even these rough measures can be useful for discerning trends. In 2015, 101 of the 178 included countries shifted toward greater economic freedom, although 77 of the countries shifted toward less economic freedom. In recent decades, the overall trend has been a higher level of economic freedom around the world .

Regulations: The Rules of the Game

Markets and government regulations are always entangled. There is no such thing as an absolutely free market. Regulations always define the “rules of the game” in the economy. Economies that are primarily market-oriented have fewer regulations—ideally just enough to maintain an even playing field for participants. At a minimum, these laws govern matters like safeguarding private property against theft, protecting people from violence, enforcing legal contracts, preventing fraud, and collecting taxes. Conversely, even the most command-oriented economies operate using markets. How else would buying and selling occur? The government heavily regulates decisions of what to produce and prices to charge. Heavily regulated economies often have underground economies (or black markets), which are markets where the buyers and sellers make transactions without the government’s approval.

The question of how to organize economic institutions is typically not a straightforward choice between all market or all government, but instead involves a balancing act over the appropriate combination of market freedom and government rules.

The Rise of Globalization

Recent decades have seen a trend toward globalization , which is the expanding cultural, political, and economic connections between people around the world. One measure of this is the increased buying and selling of goods, services, and assets across national borders—in other words, international trade and financial capital flows.

Globalization has occurred for a number of reasons. Improvements in shipping, as illustrated by the container ship in Figure 1.10, and air cargo have driven down transportation costs. Innovations in computing and telecommunications have made it easier and cheaper to manage long-distance economic connections of production and sales. Many valuable products and services in the modern economy can take the form of information—for example: computer software; financial advice; travel planning; music, books and movies; and blueprints for designing a building. These products and many others can be transported over telephones and computer networks at ever-lower costs. Finally, international agreements and treaties between countries have encouraged greater trade.

Table 1.2 presents one measure of globalization. It shows the percentage of domestic economic production that was exported for a selection of countries from 2010 to 2015, according to an entity known as The World Bank. Exports are the goods and services that one produces domestically and sells abroad. Imports are the goods and services that one produces abroad and then sells domestically. Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the size of total production in an economy. Thus, the ratio of exports divided by GDP measures what share of a country’s total economic production is sold in other countries.

In recent decades, the export/GDP ratio has generally risen, both worldwide and for the U.S. economy. Interestingly, the share of U.S. exports in proportion to the U.S. economy is well below the global average, in part because large economies like the United States can contain more of the division of labor inside their national borders. However, smaller economies like Belgium, Korea, and Canada need to trade across their borders with other countries to take full advantage of division of labor, specialization, and economies of scale. In this sense, the enormous U.S. economy is less affected by globalization than most other countries.

Table 1.2 indicates that many medium and low income countries around the world, like Mexico and China, have also experienced a surge of globalization in recent decades. If an astronaut in orbit could put on special glasses that make all economic transactions visible as brightly colored lines and look down at Earth, the astronaut would see the planet covered with connections.

Despite the rise in globalization over the last few decades, in recent years we've seen significant pushback against globalization from people across the world concerned about loss of jobs, loss of political sovereignty, and increased economic inequality. Prominent examples of this pushback include the 2016 vote in Great Britain to exit the European Union (i.e. Brexit), and the election of Donald J. Trump for President of the United States.

Hopefully, you now have an idea about economics. Before you move to any other chapter of study, be sure to read the very important appendix to this chapter called The Use of Mathematics in Principles of Economics. It is essential that you learn more about how to read and use models in economics.

Bring It Home

Information overload in the information age.

The world provides nearly instant access to a wealth of information. Consider that as recently as the late 1970s, the Farmer’s Almanac , along with the Weather Bureau of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, were the primary sources American farmers used to determine when to plant and harvest their crops. Today, these decisions are driven by data. Farmers access detailed data streams driven by global positioning systems, historical rainfall patterns, and complex weather monitoring services. They combine this information with crop yield data and soil quality measurements from prior years. Maximizing production efficiently can mean the difference between a farm that remains profitable and one that may need to sell its land, and data helps eliminate guesswork.

Information helps us make decisions as simple as what to wear today to how many reporters the media should send to cover an event. Each of these decisions is an economic decision. After all, resources are scarce. If the media send ten reporters to cover an announcement, they are not available to cover other stories or complete other tasks. Information provides the necessary knowledge to make the best possible decisions on how to utilize scarce resources. Welcome to the world of economics!

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1.7: Economic Systems

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Economic Systems

Every society has an economy or economic system that helps it provide necessities for the people. The economy or economic system is an organized way of providing for the wants and needs of their people. Every economy has to deal with the concept of scarcity and must answer the questions “what to produce?”, “how to produce?” and “for whom to produce?”

Universal Generalizations

• Capitalism, socialism, and communism are the three major economic systems.
• All economic systems have advantages and disadvantages.

Guiding Questions

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of capitalism?
• What is the difference between socialism and communism?
• How is communism both an economic and a political system?

Think about what a complex system a modern economy is. It includes all production of goods and services, all buying and selling, and all employment. The economic life of every individual is interrelated, at least to a small extent, with the economic lives of thousands or even millions of other individuals. Who organizes and coordinates this system? Who ensures that the number of televisions a society provides is the same as the amount it needs and wants? Who ensures that the right number of employees work in the electronics industry? Who insures that televisions are produced in the best way possible? How does it all get done?

Traditional Economy

There are at least three ways societies have found to organize an economy. The first is the traditional economy, which is the oldest economic system and can be found in parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. Traditional economies organize their economic affairs the way they have always done (i.e., tradition). Occupations stay in the family. Most families are farmers who grow the crops they have always grown using traditional methods. What you produce is what you get to consume. Because things are driven by tradition, there is little economic progress or development.

In a society with a traditional economy, the allocation of resources stems from ritual, habit, or custom. This type of economic system also guides the society since the roles regarding people's jobs are defined by the custom of elders and ancestors. The expectation is that the members of the community carry on the skills of the previous generation Therefore, the custom is for children to continue to practice the same role as the parents. Girls learn their role from their mothers and other female adults, while boys learn their economic and social role from their fathers or other male adults. If you are a son of a farmer, you too will be a farmer. This type of social conformity makes it possible for the group to survive from one generation to the next.

A Command Economy

Command economies are very different. In a command economy, economic effort is devoted to goals passed down from a ruler or ruling class. Ancient Egypt was a good example: a large part of economic life was devoted to building pyramids, for the pharaohs [Figure 1] . Medieval manor life is another example: the lord provided the land for growing crops and protection in the event of war. In return, vassals provided labor and soldiers to do the lord’s bidding. In the last century, communism emphasized command economies.

[Figure 1] - Ancient Egypt was an example of a command economy. (Credit: Jay Bergesen/Flickr Creative Commons)

In a command economy, the government decides which goods and services will be produced and what prices will be charged for them. The government decides what methods of production will be used and how much workers will be paid. Many necessities like healthcare and education are provided for free and may be considered a strength of the economy. However, the disadvantages of the system, such as not catering to consumers, little incentive to work harder or better, the large bureaucracy, lack of flexibility, and no rewards for individual initiative or unique ideas, creates a stagnant marketplace. Currently, Cuba and North Korea have command economies.

A Market Economy

A market is an institution that brings together buyers and sellers of goods or services, who may be either individuals or businesses. Although command economies have a very centralized structure for economic decisions, market economies have a very decentralized structure. In a market economy, decision-making is decentralized. Market economies are based on private enterprise: the means of production (resources and businesses) are owned and operated by private individuals or groups of private individuals.

[Figure 2] Nothing says “market” more than The New York Stock Exchange. (Credit: Erik Drost/Flickr Creative Commons)

The New York Stock Exchange, shown in [Figure 2] , is a prime example of a market in which buyers and sellers are brought together. Businesses supply goods and services based on demand. (In a command economy, by contrast, resources and businesses are owned by the government.) The goods and services supplied depend on what is demanded. A person’s income is based on his or her ability to convert resources (especially labor) into something that society values. The more society values the person’s output, the higher that person's income (think Lady Gaga or LeBron James). In this scenario, economic decisions are determined by market forces, not governments.

Most economies in the real world are mixed; they combine elements of command and market (and even traditional) systems. The U.S. economy is positioned toward the market-oriented end of the spectrum. Many countries in Europe and Latin America, while primarily market-oriented, have a greater degree of government involvement in economic decisions than the U.S. economy does. China and Russia, while they are closer to having a market-oriented system now than several decades ago, remain closer to the command economy end of the spectrum. A rich resource of information about countries and their economies can be found on the Heritage Foundation’s website.

The economic spectrum demonstrates the range of possible economic systems used by societies.

What countries are considered economically free?

Who is in control of economic decisions? Are people free to do what they want and to work where they want? Are businesses free to produce when they want and what they choose, and to hire and fire as they wish? Are banks free to choose who will receive loans? Or does the government control these kinds of choices?

Each year, researchers at the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal look at 50 different categories of economic freedom for countries around the world. They give each nation a score based on the extent of economic freedom in each category.

The 2013 Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom report ranked 177 countries around the world: some examples of the most free and the least free countries are listed in Table 1. Several countries were not ranked because of extreme instability that made judgments about economic freedom impossible. These countries include Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Somalia.

The assigned rankings are inevitably based on estimates, yet even these rough measures can be useful for discerning trends. In 2013, 91 of the 177 included countries shifted toward greater economic freedom, although 78 of the countries shifted toward less economic freedom. In recent decades, the overall trend has been a higher level of economic freedom around the world .

Video: Economic Systems and Macroeconomics

As previously addressed, market systems and command systems in their pure form are on the extremes of the economic spectrum, and in reality each fails to exist entirely in isolation of the other. More accurately, all nations operate under a "mixed economic system" that emulates certain characteristics of each type of economy to varying degrees.

In a pure command economy, rather than businesses and individuals, because government owns the means of production, they determine what to produce, how to produce it, and who gets it once it has been produced. This is an incredibly difficult and complicated process that limits the free will of the people living within its rules. Central planners (government officials) make decisions based on what they believe is best for the population.

In a pure market economy, there is no government intervention. The prices of goods and services are entirely set by the demand and supply of what is available. This is known as the "price system." Thus there is competition amongst buyers and sellers in a market economy. Buyers are trying to outbid other buyers by offering a higher price. Whereas sellers are competing with other sellers by offering lower prices and/or higher quality goods and services.

Regardless of what type of economic system a nation has, there are three questions that each must answer. How the nation answers these questions determines whether it is a more market or command-leaning economic system. These three questions were covered in an earlier section, but to review:

• Given the resources a country has at its disposal, it could make any great number of things. Who decides how an economy is going to utilize those productive resources to produce things determines whether the economy is more command or market.
• In a market economy, businesses (firms) decide how goods and services are going to be produced. They hire labor as they see fit and pay accordingly.
• In a command economy, the government plays a large part in directing certain people to be responsible for producing goods and providing services, and is likely to set a wage that is very similar to other wages for different work.
• This is a question that focuses on who is going to receive the goods and services that are being produced. In a market economy, this would be largely determined by the consumers who can afford to purchase the goods and services they demand.
• In a command economy the government would decide who receives which goods and services.

Whether a nation's economy is labeled as a market or command economy is determined by who makes these decisions. In a market economy, most of the decisions are made privately by consumers and firms about what to produce, how to produce it, and who receives it. In a command economy, all decisions are carried out by government officials. As stated earlier, most economies are mixed, where economic decisions are sometimes made by individuals and private firms, while others are put in place by government officials.

Economic Goals

Countries go about attempting to create stability for their economy by fulfilling various economic goals. While all societies work toward each of the goals listed below to some extent, societal values are the differentiating factors that determine to what degree each goal is pursued. Economic efficiency, freedom, security, equity, and growth are all values that determine to what extent the economic players are involved, and since countries do not always agree on what the most important economic goals are, some goals are more valued than others. Below is a brief explanation of each economic goal. As you read through the numbered list, contemplate which goals would be more important to a market economy and which would be more important for a country with a command economy.

Efficiency is focused on making sure that the available resources are used to the fullest extent to produce the most wanted goods and services demanded by the people. When an economy is efficient, it is organized and maximizes production.

When an economy isn't focused on efficiency, it may be more wasteful in the utilization of its resources and less responsive to the demands of the people.

Equity refers to promoting fairness. To ensure equity, a government may redistribute wealth among its citizens. This means the government may tax wealthier people at a higher percentage than the rest of the population and then provide social welfare programs to the poorer populations. Low income families would receive assistance in terms of food stamps, cheaper housing, medical care, or qualifying education grants.

When an economy isn't focused on equity, it would do little to ensure that the poor or lower-income population have access to the goods and services readily available to those who can easily afford them.

Freedom in an economic sense means that one is able to make decisions about what goods and services to buy or sell, and how to live without any restrictions by a governing body. Obviously complete freedom would be problematic because potentially harmful trade would be legal, putting the safety of citizens at risk. For this reason, no economy can be entirely free.

Economies become less free when they tax more, restrict certain forms of trade, and control the means of production.

Growth in an economy is measured by a continual increase in the production of goods and services. As a result of economic growth, the standard of living improves, meaning people are making more money, the population is able to grow, and education levels rise.

Countries that lack economic growth tend to be inefficient with their resources and lack a feeling of optimism about the future. Without adequate economic growth these countries face problems with their security as well.

A country that provides a high level of economic security alleviates the fear individuals might feel when it comes to the occurrence of economic risks over which an individual has very little control. For example, if a country were to suffer a natural disaster, or go to war, experience massive unemployment, individuals would want to know that they are going to have their needs met so they can provide for themselves and their families.

Countries that lack economic security usually have no safety net available for those who are affected by forces outside of their control. These systems lack government programs like food stamps, unemployment benefits, public housing, and Social Security. Without these programs in place, those who are affected by such events have little chance of surviving on their own financially.

Stability comes when three major measures of economic well-being are met:

• The economy is consistently growing.
• Unemployment rates are relatively low and consistent.
• Prices are maintained at the same level.

Countries that lack economic stability will experience harmful swings that discourage people from spending money in their economy which stalls growth and improvement.

In conclusion, all economic systems are designed to manage the production, consumption, and distribution of goods and services, they simply have varying degrees of control along the economic spectrum.

Use the resources below to further investigate these concepts:

Index of Economic Freedom

Explore the interactive heat map of economic freedom at the website below. This map demonstrates the relative economic freedom of different countries throughout the world. Which are more likely to be market economies? Which are more likely to be command economies?

Interactive Heat Map of Economic Freedom

Communism or Socialism?

For clarification on the difference between communism and socialism, read the following article by David Floyd:

What is the Difference Between Communism and Socialism?

Video: Why is Communist China Doing So Well?

Watch this video by economics teacher Jacob Clifford to learn how a the communist country of China has been using the free market to grow its economy.

Answer the self check questions below to monitor your understanding of the concepts in this section.

Self Check Questions

• What are at least three ways societies have found to organize economy?
• Describe the differences between traditional, command and market economies. Give advantages and disadvantages for each.
• List the six economic goals and give a brief description for each.
• What are some differences between communism and socialism?
• Why might a country move from one economic system to another?

BUS101: Introduction to Business

Understanding Economic Systems

Read this explanation of the United States economy. American workers are considered some of the most productive in the world. Productivity is the final output after you have considered the hours worked. Productivity in this country has grown because technology has lowered the cost of producing goods and services.

How Business and Economics Work

Global economic systems.

Businesses and other organizations operate according to the economic systems of their home countries. Today the world's major economic systems fall into two broad categories: free market, or capitalism; and planned economies, which include communism and socialism. However, in reality many countries use a mixed market system that incorporates elements from more than one economic system.

The major differentiator among economic systems is whether the government or individuals decide:

• How to allocate limited resources – the factors of production – to individuals and organizations to best satisfy unlimited societal needs
• What goods and services to produce and in what quantities
• How and by whom these goods and services are produced
• How to distribute goods and services to consumers

Managers must understand and adapt to the economic system or systems in which they operate. Companies that do business internationally may discover that they must make changes in production and selling methods to accommodate the economic system of other countries. Table 1.1 summarizes key factors of the world's economic systems.

In recent years, more countries have shifted toward free-market economic systems and away from planned economies. Sometimes, as was the case of the former East Germany, the transition to capitalism was painful but fairly quick. In other countries, such as Russia, the movement has been characterized by false starts and backsliding. Capitalism, also known as the private enterprise system , is based on competition in the marketplace and private ownership of the factors of production (resources). In a competitive economic system, a large number of people and businesses buy and sell products freely in the marketplace. In pure capitalism, all the factors of production are owned privately, and the government does not try to set prices or coordinate economic activity.

A capitalist system guarantees certain economic rights: the right to own property, the right to make a profit, the right to make free choices, and the right to compete. The right to own property is central to capitalism. The main incentive in this system is profit, which encourages entrepreneurship. Profit is also necessary for producing goods and services, building manufacturing plants, paying dividends and taxes, and creating jobs. The freedom to choose whether to become an entrepreneur or to work for someone else means that people have the right to decide what they want to do on the basis of their own drive, interest, and training. The government does not create job quotas for each industry or give people tests to determine what they will do.

Competition is good for both businesses and consumers in a capitalist system. It leads to better and more diverse products, keeps prices stable, and increases the efficiency of producers. Companies try to produce their goods and services at the lowest possible cost and sell them at the highest possible price. But when profits are high, more businesses enter the market to seek a share of those profits. The resulting competition among companies tends to lower prices. Companies must then find new ways of operating more efficiently if they are to keep making a profit – and stay in business.

Exhibit 1.5 McDonald's China Since joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, China has continued to embrace tenets of capitalism and grow its economy. China is the world's largest producer of mobile phones, PCs, and tablets, and the country's over one billion people constitute a gargantuan market. The explosion of McDonald's and KFC franchises epitomizes the success of American-style capitalism in China, and Beijing's bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics is a symbol of economic openness. This McCafe is an example of changing Western products to suit Chinese tastes. This is an example of changing Western products to suit Chinese tastes. Do you think China's capitalistic trend can continue to thrive under the ruling Chinese Communist Party that opposes workers' rights, free speech, and democracy?

The complete opposite of capitalism is communism . In a communist economic system, the government owns virtually all resources and controls all markets. Economic decision-making is centralized: the government, rather than the competitive forces in the marketplace, decides what will be produced, where it will be produced, how much will be produced, where the raw materials and supplies will come from, who will get the output, and what the prices will be. This form of centralized economic system offers little if any choice to a country's citizens. Early in the 20th century, countries that chose communism, such as the former Soviet Union and China, believed that it would raise their standard of living. In practice, however, the tight controls over most aspects of people's lives, such as what careers they can choose, where they can work, and what they can buy, led to lower productivity. Workers had no reasons to work harder or produce quality goods, because there were no rewards for excellence. Errors in planning and resource allocation led to shortages of even basic items.

These factors were among the reasons for the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union into multiple independent nations. Recent reforms in Russia, China, and most of the eastern European nations have moved these economies toward more capitalistic, market-oriented systems. North Korea and Cuba are the best remaining examples of communist economic systems. Time will tell whether Cuba takes small steps toward a market economy now that the United States reestablished diplomatic relations with the island country a few years ago.

Socialism is an economic system in which the basic industries are owned by the government or by the private sector under strong government control. A socialist state controls critical, large-scale industries such as transportation, communications, and utilities. Smaller businesses and those considered less critical, such as retail, may be privately owned. To varying degrees, the state also determines the goals of businesses, the prices and selection of goods, and the rights of workers. Socialist countries typically provide their citizens with a higher level of services, such as health care and unemployment benefits, than do most capitalist countries. As a result, taxes and unemployment may also be higher in socialist countries. For example, in 2017, the top individual tax rate in France was 45 percent, compared to 39.6 percent in the United States. With both countries electing new presidents in 2017, tax cuts were a campaign promise that both President Macron and President Trump took on as part of their overall economic agendas.

Many countries, including the United Kingdom, Denmark, India, and Israel, have socialist systems, but the systems vary from country to country. In Denmark, for example, most businesses are privately owned and operated, but two-thirds of the population is sustained by the state through government welfare programs.

Mixed Economic Systems

Pure capitalism and communism are extremes; real-world economies fall somewhere between the two. The U.S. economy leans toward pure capitalism, but it uses government policies to promote economic stability and growth. Also, through policies and laws, the government transfers money to the poor, the unemployed, and the elderly or disabled. American capitalism has produced some very powerful organizations in the form of large corporations, such as General Motors and Microsoft. To protect smaller firms and entrepreneurs, the government has passed legislation that requires that the giants compete fairly against weaker competitors.

Canada, Sweden, and the UK, among others, are also called mixed economies ; that is, they use more than one economic system. Sometimes, the government is basically socialist and owns basic industries. In Canada, for example, the government owns the communications, transportation, and utilities industries, as well as some of the natural-resource industries. It also provides health care to its citizens. But most other activity is carried on by private enterprise, as in a capitalist system. In 2016, UK citizens voted for Britain to leave the European Union, a move that will take two or more years to finalize. It is too early to tell what impact the Brexit decision will have on the UK economy and other economies around the world.

The few factors of production owned by the government in a mixed economy include some public lands, the postal service, and some water resources. But the government is extensively involved in the economic system through taxing, spending, and welfare activities. The economy is also mixed in the sense that the country tries to achieve many social goals – income redistribution and retirement pensions, for example – that may not be attempted in purely capitalist systems.

Economics Essay Examples

Ace Your Essay With Our Economics Essay Examples

Published on: Jun 6, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

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Are you struggling to understand economics essays and how to write your own?

It can be challenging to grasp the complexities of economic concepts without practical examples.

But don’t worry! 

We’ve got the solution you've been looking for. Explore quality examples that bridge the gap between theory and real-world applications. In addition, get insightful tips for writing economics essays.

So, if you're a student aiming for academic success, this blog is your go-to resource for mastering economics essays.

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What is an Economics Essay?

An economics essay is a written piece that explores economic theories, concepts, and their real-world applications. It involves analyzing economic issues, presenting arguments, and providing evidence to support ideas. 

The goal of an economics essay is to demonstrate an understanding of economic principles and the ability to critically evaluate economic topics.

Why Write an Economics Essay?

Writing an economics essay serves multiple purposes:

• Demonstrate Understanding: Showcasing your comprehension of economic concepts and their practical applications.
• Develop Critical Thinking: Cultivating analytical skills to evaluate economic issues from different perspectives.
• Apply Theory to Real-World Contexts: Bridging the gap between economic theory and real-life scenarios.
• Enhance Research and Analysis Skills: Improving abilities to gather and interpret economic data.
• Prepare for Academic and Professional Pursuits: Building a foundation for success in future economics-related endeavors.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

If you’re wondering, ‘how do I write an economics essay?’, consulting an example essay might be a good option for you. Here are some economics essay examples:

Short Essay About Economics

A Level Economics Essay Examples

Here is an essay on economics a level structure:

Band 6 Economics Essay Examples

Here are some downloadable economics essays:

Economics essay pdf

Economics essay introduction

Economics Extended Essay Examples

In an economics extended essay, students have the opportunity to delve into a specific economic topic of interest. They are required to conduct an in-depth analysis of this topic and compile a lengthy essay. 

Here are some potential economics extended essay question examples:

• How does foreign direct investment impact economic growth in developing countries?
• What are the factors influencing consumer behavior and their effects on market demand for sustainable products?
• To what extent does government intervention in the form of minimum wage policies affect employment levels and income inequality?
• What are the economic consequences of implementing a carbon tax to combat climate change?
• How does globalization influence income distribution and the wage gap in developed economies?

IB Economics Extended Essay Examples 

IB Economics Extended Essay Examples

Economics Extended Essay Topic Examples

Extended Essay Research Question Examples Economics

Tips for Writing an Economics Essay

Writing an economics essay requires specific expertise and skills. So, it's important to have some tips up your sleeve to make sure your essay is of high quality:

• Start with a Clear Thesis Statement: It defines your essay's focus and argument. This statement should be concise, to the point, and present the crux of your essay.
• Conduct Research and Gather Data: Collect facts and figures from reliable sources such as academic journals, government reports, and reputable news outlets. Use this data to support your arguments and analysis and compile a literature review.
• Use Economic Theories and Models: These help you to support your arguments and provide a framework for your analysis. Make sure to clearly explain these theories and models so that the reader can follow your reasoning.
• Analyze the Micro and Macro Aspects: Consider all angles of the topic. This means examining how the issue affects individuals, businesses, and the economy as a whole.
• Use Real-World Examples: Practical examples and case studies help to illustrate your points. This can make your arguments more relatable and understandable.
• Consider the Policy Implications: Take into account the impacts of your analysis. What are the potential solutions to the problem you're examining? How might different policies affect the outcomes you're discussing?
• Use Graphs and Charts: These help to illustrate your data and analysis. These visual aids can help make your arguments more compelling and easier to understand.
• Proofread and Edit: Make sure to proofread your essay carefully for grammar and spelling errors. In economics, precision and accuracy are essential, so errors can undermine the credibility of your analysis.

These tips can help make your essay writing journey a breeze. Tailor them to your topic to make sure you end with a well-researched and accurate economics essay.

To wrap it up , writing an economics essay requires a combination of solid research, analytical thinking, and effective communication. 

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Home — Essay Samples — Economics — Economic System — Overview Of The Main Kinds Of Economic Systems

Overview of The Main Kinds of Economic Systems

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Published: Apr 15, 2020

Words: 2351 | Pages: 5 | 12 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, types of economic system, advantages and disadvantages of each economic system.

• Pre-characterized Job Roles
• Less Competition
• Less Wastage or Surplus Production
• Moderate Growth
• Protection from Change
• Low Standard of Living
• Less Facilities

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The Types of Economic Systems

Introduction, types of economic systems, capitalist system, communist system, socialist and mixed economic systems, benefits to society and individuals, current trends and conclusion.

Any system that involves the mechanism for production, distribution and exchange of goods apart from consumption of the goods and services within the different entities can be classified as an Economic System. The various kinds of economic systems and their classifications broadly follow the methods by which means of ownership are established. Thus, the mode of ownership of capital leads to the different kinds of economic systems in vogue. In this paper, we discuss the different types of economic systems and their classifications based on the methods described above. In addition, we look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type of economic system and the examples of countries that have the economic systems in place. In the last section, we look at the benefits an individual might get from the different kinds of economic systems.

The different kinds of economic systems are Market Economy, Planned Economy, Centrally Planned Economy, Socialist and Communist Economies. All these are characterized by the ownership of the economics resources and the allocation of the same. For instance, in a Capitalist Economy, the capital is privately owned and distributed with governmental oversight and regulation. On the other hand, in a Communist Economy, the state itself takes on the task of allocation of resources according to the needs of the different sectors.

In a mixed economy, the state looks after some sectors whereas it frees up the other sectors for private participation. Apart from this, the extent of governmental or state intervention determines the kinds of economic systems that are classified accordingly. In many ways, each of these systems has their own pros and cons when it comes to the welfare of the citizens.

This is the predominant economic system in the world today. In this system, the capital is privately owned and distributed. The distribution mechanism is left to the market to allocate the resources with the emphasis being on efficient allocation of capital. Going by the “Invisible Hand” of Adam Smith that guides the allocation of resources, it is deemed that the market does a good job of determining which sectors receive the capital and how much. Thus, perfect knowledge and perfect competition are assumed to be given and the market mechanism is taken to determine the beneficiaries and the recipients.

In the modern context, this kind of system has come to be associated with the laissez faire mode of capitalism where the state has minimal responsibility and is seen as a “hands off” player rather than being interventionist. Of course, the state is expected to have regulatory mechanisms in place and ensure that the market corrections are supervised and the state steps in whenever there is a crisis of liquidity or other market failures.

As we are currently witnessing the different kinds of state interventions arising out of the credit crunch, it becomes apparent that this kind of economic system may not be the ideal one as was being propounded over the last few decades. In this economic system, the four kinds of land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship are the types of production that make up the mechanism for production and distribution of resources.

The capitalist system of production and distribution has proved to be highly successful in western countries and it has spawned several clones in the east as well.

In this kind of economic system, the state takes upon itself the allocation and production functions as well as distribution of the goods and services. In this system, capital cannot be privately held and there is communal ownership or what is known as “Communism”. The workers are paid uniform wages and what Marx called the “participation of the workers in the collective bargaining” is a feature of the system. This model was pursued in the erstwhile USSR before it broke up and has been considered a failure though there is debate whether it was an ideological failure or an implementation failure. Like capitalism, communism also had several takers in the newly independent economies of the east. Thus, the Cold war was fought as much between two blocs as between two competing ideologies.

In these forms of economic systems, the state has control over some areas which it deems to be of primary importance as regards national security and importance to the welfare of the citizens. Thus, the state does not allow private participation in sectors such as defense and essential goods and services whereas the entrepreneurs are provided incentives to contribute in other sectors that the state thinks fit. This kind of economic system was followed in countries like India till the 1990’s when the economies were liberalized and full private sector participation allowed. This parallels the demise of the centrally planned economy where the command and control of the economy is top down rather than bottom up. This has often led to several imbalances in the distribution and allocation of resources.

An economic system, in whatever form is necessary for the society to prosper and function as a cohesive unit. From the primitive societies of barter and the hunter gatherers to the new technocratic ages, there always has been some form of economic systems. The economic systems make up the whole system that comprised the political system, the legal system and the like.

Some of the benefits are self-evident in the sense that the individuals in a society get paid for their work and in return can buy and exchange goods and services. In other ways, the material well being of the individuals is guaranteed with promise of wages and other inducements. On the other hand, the individuals contribute to the collective pool of wealth by paying taxes that in turn make up a portion of the social security nets.

As can be seen from the prosperity of the western world, the economic systems contribute in a major way towards the sense of well being and security of the citizens. The state guarantees the rights of the citizens and in turn expects duties from them. There are instances of breakdown of economic systems in Sub-Saharan Africa that has resulted in chaos and civil war. Thus, one of the pre-requisites of the economic systems is that of a “social contract” between the individual and the state along with the legal and other forms of enforceable contracts. As can be seen, an effective economic and social system not only takes care of the constituents but also enforces the mode of behavior through a set of laws and regulations to be followed. Thus this is a kind of win-win situation for all the players concerned.

In communist societies, the state had an additional responsibility to ensure that the material well being of the citizens is taken care under the auspices of the state. Thus, one of the conditions for communal ownership was the co-ordination of the services and the goods.

The society as a whole gains from the distribution of wealth and its effects on the economy are as real as the whole structure of production and distribution of services are concerned. Society participates by providing services and gets paid in return. On the other hand the political economy enforces the contracts of the participants and the players concerned. Overall, society stands to gain from the methods of production and distribution of goods and services.

Individuals perform duties as per the market rules for participation and are guaranteed their share of the profits according to the norms of the wages prescribed.

With the advent of the Internet and the rise of the “dot com” companies, a new kind of Economic system based on the “virtual” exchange of goods and services is arising that leads to dramatic shifts of wealth around the world. However, there is also a need to refine the current market economies for them to have proper regulation and oversight. Unfettered capitalism is as risky as an absence of economic system. The whole edifice of an economic system can come down if not properly regulated and enforced.

As far as the current market crises are concerned, it is imperative that some kind of “paradigm shifts” occur within the systems and these are taken care by the regulatory authorities.

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Final Conclusion: Economic Systems, Markets and Politics

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The economics, with their focus on a pure objective utility maximization, are far from human reality. Economic sciences are exclusively individually oriented. People decide in a social environment, which is why sociology is at least as important for behavior as psychology. The influence of the group (the company) or society must also be taken into account. All modern societies have institutions and organizations, giving them order, and instilling discipline in their citizens to behave in the manner socially desired. Norms, values and morality are important here, including attitudes towards the political and economic system. The attitudes of people in a society to the economically relevant activities have been paid as little attention by economic science as the existence of general economic knowledge.

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See Kydland and Prescott ( 1977 ).

Kydland, F. E., & Prescott, E. C. (1977). Rules rather than discretion: The inconsistency of optimal plans. Journal of Political Economy, 85 (3), 473–491.

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Economic system: essay on the concept of economic system.

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Essay on The Concept of Economic System!

Every society must provide some organized way for satisfying those material wants—food, shelter, clothing and health care—without which life could not be sustained. To be accepted in modem society, however, we need many more things—soap, hair oil, face cream, deodorant, powder, toothpaste, shoes, and various types of clothes for different occasions.

Not only this, we also like to have some luxuries of our society such as car, television, radio, washing machine, heater, geyser, sporting equipment’s and so on. All these things, from the most basic necessities to the most expensive luxuries, are produced by our economic system.

A society’s economic system provides for the production and distribution of all the necessities, comforts and luxuries the society uses. The basic function and problem of all economic systems is to maximize satisfactions through an economical allocation of various resources which are limited for the satisfaction of various needs which are unlimited.

The term ‘economic system’ refers to the social institutions and their arrangements through which goods and services are produced, distributed and consumed. According to Anthony Giddens (1997), ‘the economic system consists of institutions that provide for the production and distribution of goods and services’.

It influences our lives from before we are born until we die. It even influences how we are buried. So, with all other social institutions such as the family, religion and government, the economic system shapes other aspects of the social order and is, in turn, influ­enced by them.

Sociologists study the economic system because it interacts with all segments of society. An economic system may be represented in different ways. The economy may be treated as a social sub-system like political system. There is continuous interaction among these sub-systems.

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Creation of a ‘New Species’: A Decolonial Reading of Frantz Fanon and B.R Ambedkar

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This paper argues that Fanon’s critique of colonisation and Ambedkar’s evaluation of the caste system share similarities because they collectively present a psycho-social understanding of the oppressed human condition. Both Fanon and Ambedkar argue that colonial and caste oppression has introduced a loss of cultural legacy, identity and capacity for self-determination. This loss is imprinted so deeply in the minds of the colonised and stakeholders of the caste system that a new species with a different social, political and economic consciousness is needed to transform and facilitate the formation of radical new social beliefs. For such a decolonisation of the mind to occur, Fanon proposes that violence—the capacity to resist and question—is fundamental, which I argue is also the foundation of Ambedkar’s solution to annihilate caste. However, violence in terms of Fanon and Ambedkar does not translate to physical harm. It is the intellectual capacity and desire for self-reflection that ruptures existing hierarchical power structures and renews the meaning of being human in democratic civilisations.

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