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To form a robust economic system, societies must tackle three fundamental questions: what to produce, how to produce it, and who benefits from the production. These choices involve determining the allocation of resources and factor payments, which dictate consumption patterns. Societies strive for economic efficiency, freedom, security, equity, and growth. The free enterprise system, marked by profit motives and open opportunities, allows individuals to make economic decisions and engage in competition. Understanding consumer roles and governmental regulation is critical in shaping economic outcomes.
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Three Key Economic Questions: To form an economic system, a society must decide what to produce, how to produce it, and who will consume what is produced. Factor payments – the income people receive for supplying the factors of production – determine who consumes goods & services. What goods & services should be produced? How much of our resources should we devote to national defense, education, public health & welfare, or consumer goods? How should goods & services be produces? What combination of factor resources – land, labor, capital should we use? Who will consume these goods & services? How will income be distributed? How will factor payments be determined?
Economic GoalsMost Societies share certain basic economic goals. Societies rank the importance of these goals based on their needs & values. • Economic efficiency • Economic Freedom • Economic security and predictability • Economic equity • Economic growth & innovation • Other goals
How does the free enterprise system encourage private ownership of property and promote individual initiative???
Basic Principles of Free Enterprise Profit Motive: the force that encourages people and organizations to improve their material well-being. Since F.E. allows for individuals & businesses to make economic decisions, people try to make the most for their money. Open Opportunity: the concept that everyone can compete in the market place. No one can be excluded!!! Economic Rights: everyone legal equality, may own private property, enter into contracts & voluntarily exchange their goods/services. The Role of the Consumer: must make desires known to businesses by purchasing so businesses know what to produce. May join interest groups to further specific causes. The Role of the Government: force businesses to disclose what is in their products in order to protect the health, safety, & welfare of the people. Ensure equal justice in contracts Constitutional Protections: Gov’t may not take private property without just cause (Am. 5 & 14). Taxes should be simple, collected efficiently, certain in collection, and equal/fair to all.