Economics Chapter 3 Terms – The Evolution of Economic Thought – Flashcards
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the Scottish philosopher who is known today as both the "father of modern economics" and the "founder of capitalism"
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Adam Smith
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the first thinker to ouline in detail the characteristics and benefits of a complete economic system - the free-market economy
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Adam Smith
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the author of "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" or "The Wealth of Nations"
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Adam Smith
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the book that is recognized as the foundation of modern economic theory
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The Wealth of Nations
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Adam Smith's first book which made him famous throughout Great Britain
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The Theory of Moral Sentiments
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a believer in the 18th-century philosophy that argued that laws created by humans are artificial and unnecessary because they interfere with natural laws, such as an individual's pursuit of self-interest, which would ultimately benefit all of society
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physiocrat
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a French term meaning "leave to do" or "let alone", which became associated with the idea that an economy operates best if individuals are allowed to pursue their own self-interest without government interference
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laissez-faire
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Adam Smith was greatly influenced by this American politician and writer, who provided much information about the economic situation in the American colonies
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Benjamin Franklin
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Adam Smith was born into a world where ____________ was the prevailing economic system
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mercantilism
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an economic system that emphasized state control of trade, with the goal of exporting as many goods as possible and importing as few foreign goods as possible
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mercantilism
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a policy of limiting imports through tariffs
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protectionist
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in order to make mercantilism work, a country's government had to adopt a ________ policy
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protectionist
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a tax on an import levied by a nation; also called custom duty
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tariff
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another name for tariff
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custom duty
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it provided a strong argument for replacing state control of the economy with a reliance on natural laws to regulate economic activity
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laissez-faire philosophy
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Smith learned from Benjamin Franklin that the growing mood of rebellion in the American colonies was a direct reaction to interference by the British goverment, through various ____________, in the economic life of the colonists
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taxes and regulations
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the idea of laissez-faire philosophy contributed to this historical event
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French Revolution
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the interference of the British government led to this historical event in 1776
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Declaration of Independence
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interference of the British government led to this historical period
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American Revolution
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it broke up the large plots of land that towns had held in common since the Middle Ages and redistributed them in small plots to individual landholders
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Enclosure Movement
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the period of technological innovation and factory production, beginning in Britain in the late 18th century, that eventually changed the economy from one that was largely agricultural and rural to one that was industrial and urban
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Industrial Revolution
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Adam Smith believed that human beings are motivated primarily by ____________
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self-interest
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this motive provides the major stimulus for economic growth and prosperity
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profit
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it controls the economy as an invisible hand or a natural control
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competition
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the specialization of workers in a complex production process, leading to greater efficiency
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division of labour
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Adam Smith's theory that businesspeople who invest a percentage of their profits in new capital equipment increase the economy's stock of capital goods, thus ensuring economic growth and future prosperity
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law of accumulation
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Adam Smith's theory that the accumulation of capital by businesspeople requires more workers to operate the equipment, leading to higher wages, which in turn lead to better living conditions, lower mortality rates, and an increase in population
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law of population
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recognized historically as the first professional economist
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Thomas Robert Malthus
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he challenged Adam Smith's view of a world governed by natural laws that provided ever-increasing prosperity, and he predicted inevitable poverty and famine for the masses
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Thomas Robert Malthus
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the author of "An Essay on the Principle of Population As It Affects the Future Improvement of Society"
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Thomas Robert Malthus
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after reading Malthus, the English writer Thomas Carlyle referred to economics as _______________
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the dismal science
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the term which Malthus used to designate an acadamic office which made him rightly be identified as the first professional economist
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political economy
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one of the seven economists who lived in a time which rapid population growth and mass migration to cities and jobs in mechanized factories result in overcrowding
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Thomas Robert Malthus
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the growth pattern of population
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geometrical progression
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the growth pattern of food production
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arithmetical progression
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a balanced economic system (in which one unit of food is available for each unit of population) will naturally transform itself, if left unchecked, into an economically unbalanced situation
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Malthusian dilemma
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the economicst who argued that the population, if left unchecked, would double every 25 years
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Thomas Robert Malthus
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the economist who increased support for laissez-faire capitalism
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Adam Smith
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the economist who increased prosperity for industrialist class
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Adam Smith
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the economist who increased the value of population studies and statistical analysis
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Thomas Robert Malthus
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the economist who believed that wages and the standard of living should hover around the subsistence level in order to keep the population from growing out of control
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Thomas Robert Malthus
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Thomas Malthus's theory that war, famine, and disease would check population increases to some extent, but not enough to prevent the geometric progression of the world's population to unsustainable levels
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positive check
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Thomas Malthus's theory that restraints such as late marriage and sexual abstinence would help reduce the birth rate to some extent, but not enough to prevent the geometric progression of the world's population to unsustainable levels
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preventive check
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the period in the 20th century, which had a series of technological breakthroughs in the field of agriculture
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Green Revolution
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the economist who was born during industrial revolution, when population grows rapidly, poor crop yields and Napoleonic War drain food reserves, and power of industrialist class grows with economy
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David Ricardo
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the author of the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation
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David Ricardo
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the book written by David Richardo which exposes the bitter class conflicts at the heart of any society structured around free-enterprise capitalism
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the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation
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this book challenged the power of the aristocratic landlord class by questioning the contributions of this class to society
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the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation
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the group of people who lived on modest wages as David Ricardo defined
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working class
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the group of people who made healthy profits by operating the factories they owned, as David Ricardo defined
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industrialist class
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the group of people who received substantial rent from the land titles they held
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aristocratic landlord class
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the economist who argued that one class in an economy could prosper only at the expense of the others
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David Ricardo
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Early 19th-century taxes on grains imported into Britain that drove up the market price of domestic grain in order to benefit the landlord class; these taxes became a focus of opposition for David Ricardo's wage and free trade theories
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Corn Laws
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labour's wages remain naturally near subsistence level as improvements bring population increases
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iron law of wages
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the capacity of one economy to produce a good or service with fewer resources than another
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absolute advantage
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the capacity of one economy to produce a good or service with comparatively fewer resources than another (e.g. having a lower opportunity cost)
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comparative advantage
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the economist who believed strongly in free trade as a result of his belief in comparative advantage
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David Ricardo
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According to this economist, economics must come before politics, science, art, and religion in importance because it determines the course of human history
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Karl Marx
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term used by Karl Marx for industrial capitalists who, he theorized, would be overthrown by the working class
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bourgeoisie
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term used by Karl Marx to describe the working class who, he theorized, would rise up and overthrow the bourgeoisie, or industrial capitalists
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proletariat
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Karl Marx's most comprehensive work
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Capital
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the economist who believed capitalism, as an economic system, was so morally bankrupt that it would one day destroy itself
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Karl Marx
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Karl Marx's notion that the value of any item is equal to the value of the labour used to produce it
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labour value
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the difference between the value of a good measured in terms of the labour used to produce it, and its higher selling price, a surplus that Karl Marx believed was stolen from labour by capitalists
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surplus value
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according to Karl Marx, class conflict leads to _________, which leads to rebellion
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exploitation
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the economist who exposed the evils of capitalism
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Karl Marx
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the movement which promotes overthrow of corrupt ruling class, resulting in violent rebellions and Russian Revolution of 1917
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international communism
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the economist who was born in WWI followed by the Great Depression and WWII
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John Maynard Keynes
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the author of the Great Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money
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John Maynard Keynes
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this economist's book helped to rescue the capitalist system from self-destruction and the spectre of international communism
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John Maynard Keynes
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another name for fiscal policy
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Keynesian economics
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the economist who strongly criticized the Treaty of Versailles
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John Maynard Keynes
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a key economic adviser to the British government during WWII
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John Maynard Keynes
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the economist who recommended "deferred savings"
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John Maynard Keynes
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a portion of every worker's pay would be automatically invested in government war bonds that could not be cashed until after the war
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deferred savings
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deferred savings to finance war effort
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war bonds
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the economist who believed that sustainable peace requires fair treatment of enemies
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John Maynard Keynes
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the economist who hypothesized that, during the war, consumer spending would interfere with the war effort; after the war, consumer buying power would help to stimulate investment, permit increased production of consumer goods, and maintain employment levels
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John Maynard Keynes
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the economist who believed that government intervention is needed to stimulate employment, spending, and economic growth during slowdown phase of business cycle (recession/depression)
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John Maynard Keynes
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the economist who contributed to the rebuilding plan for Europe which lead to economic ties and peaceful relations
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John Maynard Keynes
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the economist who emphasized increased goverment spending and reduced taxes
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John Maynard Keynes
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To this economist, the Great Depression was ultimately a problem of too little investment
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John Maynard Keynes
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the only Canadian economist out of the seven metioned in this chapter
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John Kenneth Galbraith
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one of Canada's most notable exports to the United States
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John Kenneth Galbraith
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author of The Affluent Society
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John Kenneth Galbraith
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the economist who argued that the post-war emphasis on private-sector production resulted in private affluence and public squalor
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John Kenneth Galbraith
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the economist who believed that, in the world of large international corporations, executive managers hold real decision-making power
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John Kenneth Galbraith
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the year John Kenneth Galbraith died
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2005
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the economist who believed that more government involvement and regulation of the economy would help improve society
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John Kenneth Galbraith
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the economist who is regarded as a leading proponent of the liberal economic perspective; also acknowledged as the most articulate champion of the conservative view
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Milton Friedman
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the author of Capitalism and Freedom
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Milton Friedman
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the author of A Monetary History of the United States
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Milton Friedman
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the economist who was strongly influenced by the amount of unproductive government intervention in the US economy following the end of WWII
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Milton Friedman
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the economist who believed that government attempts to induce cycles of economic growth and rull employment (by increasing spending and reducing taxes) resulted in periods of significant inflation and a steady increase in the rate of public debt
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Milton Friedman
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spending priorities of goverment are changed to improve _________ _________
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social balance
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the year when Milton Friedman died
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2006
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the period when fiscal policy (Keynesian economics) is emphasized
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1945-1990
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according to this economist, free markets will largely resolve their own economic problems more effectively if they are left alone rather than subjected to government intervention
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Milton Friedman
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the economist who believed that the most effective way for government to influence economic growth and stability is through regulating money supply and interest rates
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Milton Friedman
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a system Milton Friedman recommended for public education
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voucher system
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someone who believes that the most effective way for government to influence economic growth and stability is through regulating money supply and interest rates
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monetarist
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the period when monetary policy is emphasized
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1990-present