How does economic growth affect balance of payments?
(i) the growth of exports increases the growth of output through Harrod dynamic multiplier effects. (ii) By initially relaxing the balance-of-payments constraint, it allows other domestic components of expenditure to increase, thereby increasing the balance-of-payments deficit until it comes back into equilibrium.
In simplest terms, economic growth refers to an increase in aggregate production in an economy, which is generally manifested in a rise in national income.1 Often, but not necessarily, aggregate gains in production correlate with increased average marginal productivity.
Frequent changes in government, unstable tax structure, etc. result in loss of trust of foreign investors and discourage inflows of capital. Domestic investors also prefer to invest outside the economy. As a result, an adverse position created in the balance of Payment.
The BOP is a summary of the money entering and exiting a country over a period of time. It provides critical data that can be used to set economic policies and priorities, and the effect of those policies will in turn influence the BOP over time.
These causes are current inflation, manifested by excessive spending; price and cost disparity reflecting an inflated level of home prices and costs; and structural changes resulting in a deterioration in the real international economic position of a country.
Economic growth is the process of a country's economy expanding over time, leading to an increase in the value of goods and services produced. It is commonly measured by the rise in a nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reflecting higher income and improved living standards for its citizens.
Purchasing: Economics influences the prices of goods and services we purchase, including factors such as supply and demand, inflation, and taxes. 3. Employment: Economics affects employment opportunities, including job growth, wages, and benefits. It also helps individuals to understand how to navigate the job market.
The growth of a country is said to be balance-of-payments constrained if the growth rate consistent with a current account equilibrium (or a sustainable growth of overseas borrowing) is below the maximum growth of the economy determined by the maximum growth of supply-side factors.
Economic growth and the balance of payments (current account) As an economy grows, incomes rise and consumption increases. Therefore, consumers tend to purchase more imports, whilst firm's incentive to export will fall (sales are rapid within the economy, so it is easier to concentrate on domestic sales).
When aggregate demand for imports increases, exports fall. An increase in imports above the value of exports (imports > exports) affects the balance of payments. This should consequently, all other things being equal, depreciate the domestic country's currency.
What is the balance of payments in economics?
The balance of payments summarises the economic transactions of an economy with the rest of the world. These transactions include exports and imports of goods, services and financial assets, along with transfer payments (like foreign aid).
The balance of payments is the sum of the results of the trade balance and the balance on the capital account. It is the accounting balance after calculation of a country's total inflows and outflows, whether in terms of trade movements, investment, loans, repatriation of capital or migrants' remittances.
What is Economic Growth? Economic growth refers to an increase in the size of a country's economy over a period of time. The size of an economy is typically measured by the total production of goods and services in the economy, which is called gross domestic product (GDP).
A deficit in the balance of payments leads to a higher demand for foreign currency to the detriment of national currency which would depreciate in this situation. However, an exceeding account balance involves a high amount of foreign currency for which the national currency would be exchanged.
To correct a balance of payments deficit, a country can devalue its currency, increase exports, reduce imports, or implement fiscal austerity. Devaluing the currency can make a country's exports cheaper and imports more expensive, thereby improving the balance of payments.
Broadly speaking, there are two main sources of economic growth: growth in the size of the workforce and growth in the productivity (output per hour worked) of that workforce. Either can increase the overall size of the economy but only strong productivity growth can increase per capita GDP and income.
This means that business can make more profits, and therefore can pay employees higher wages, or even hire more employees. This means that GDP per capita/ household rises. Therefore the disposable income of workers rises.
A company that buys a new manufacturing plant or invests in new technologies creates jobs and spending, which leads to growth in the economy. Other factors help promote consumer and business spending and prosperity. Banks, for example, lend money to companies and consumers.
Economic growth provides the basis for overcoming poverty and lifting living standards. But for growth to be sustained and inclusive, its benefits must reach all people. While strong economic growth is necessary for economic development, it is not always sufficient.
Growth for a business is essentially an expansion, making the company bigger, increasing its market, and ultimately making it more profitable.
How economic growth conflicts with balance of payment stability?
Secondly a conflict may arise between economic growth and the balance of payments. When the government strive to increase economic growth, the value of imports may rise and become significantly greater than the value of exports.
If growth is based on consumer spending and falling saving rates, this will tend to cause imports to rise faster than exports. If saving and investment rates are stable, then the economic growth is more likely to be balanced and avoid the imbalance of large current account deficits and surplus.
Thus economic growth has a direct link to an increase in the value of imports which, ceteris paribus, will lead to an increase in the current account deficit.
This decline in a key measure of debt burdens takes place not only by increasing GDP, but also by improving public finances through higher tax revenues and lower borrowing costs.
There are three main components of the BOP: the financial account, the capital account, and the current account.
References
- https://www.stlouisfed.org/education/economic-lowdown-podcast-series/episode-9-functions-of-money
- https://byjus.com/commerce/balance-of-trade-vs-balance-of-payment/
- https://vakilsearch.com/blog/bop-balance-of-payments/
- https://www.investopedia.com/insights/exploring-current-account-in-balance-of-payments/
- https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2023/09/12/market-reforms-can-stabilize-debt-and-foster-growth-in-developing-countries
- https://data.imf.org/?sk=7a51304b-6426-40c0-83dd-ca473ca1fd52
- https://analystprep.com/cfa-level-1-exam/economics/decisions-affect-balance-payments/
- https://www.doubtnut.com/qna/22676371
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212567115014598/pdf?md5=bc9acb6f75751cda7a99e5f5603405e3&pid=1-s2.0-S2212567115014598-main.pdf
- https://unacademy.com/content/ca-foundation/mcqs/payment-of-the-balance-due-bop/
- https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/the-balance-of-payments.html
- https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/en/bop_6_esms.htm
- https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/024/1956/002/article-A002-en.xml
- https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/economic-growth.html
- https://www.mytutor.co.uk/answers/40819/A-Level/Economics/What-conflicts-between-macroeconomics-objectives-may-occur-in-an-economy/
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/economicgrowth.asp
- https://www.mytutor.co.uk/answers/6338/GCSE/Economics/What-is-economic-growth-and-how-can-it-improve-living-standards/
- https://www.vedantu.com/commerce/balance-of-payments-deficit-and-surplus
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/basic-balance.asp
- https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/macroeconomics/economic-performance/economic-growth/
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bot.asp
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/020415/what-more-important-business-profitability-or-growth.asp
- https://byjus.com/commerce/balance-of-payment/
- https://jncollegeonline.co.in/attendence/classnotes/files/1627847983.pdf
- https://www.tutorchase.com/answers/ib/economics/what-measures-can-be-adopted-to-correct-a-balance-of-payments-deficit
- https://www.investopedia.com/insights/what-is-the-balance-of-payments/
- https://fte.org/teachers/teacher-resources/lesson-plans/tradelessons/lesson-6-the-balance-of-payments-always-balances/
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/032415/what-are-some-ways-economic-growth-can-be-achieved.asp
- https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2017/09/20/growth-that-reaches-everyone-facts-factors-tools
- https://www.toppr.com/guides/economics/open-economy-macroeconomics/balance-of-payments/
- https://www.cbpp.org/research/economy/economic-growth-causes-benefits-and-current-limits
- https://www.tutor2u.net/economics/topics/balance-of-payments
- https://byjus.com/ias-questions/how-can-we-solve-the-balance-of-payments-problem/
- https://www.boeckler.de/pdf/v_2013_08_02_mccombie.pdf
- https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/macroeconomics/national-income/balance-of-payments/
- https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-is-balance-of-payments-components-and-deficit-3306278
- https://testbook.com/banking-awareness/balance-of-payment
- https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/145870/economics/economic-growth-versus-balance-of-payments-stability/
- https://byjus.com/commerce/balance-of-payments-surplus-and-deficit/
- https://studymind.co.uk/notes/conflicts-macroeconomic-objectives-a-level-economics/
- https://biblioguias.cepal.org/prebisch_en/XXIcentury/balance-payments-constraint-growth
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bop.asp
- https://cleartax.in/s/balance-of-payment
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_account_(balance_of_payments)
- https://quizlet.com/105518871/the-balance-of-payments-flash-cards/
- https://www.tutor2u.net/economics/reference/exam-technique-causes-of-a-current-account-deficit
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-economics-day-life-kanupriya-kaushik