The way life works is that we identify ourselves to varying degrees with our statuses and their corresponding roles. Sometimes we literally merge with the role: another boss behaves disdainfully not only with his subordinates, but also with visitors, household members, passers-by, and neighbors. The teacher is trying to teach everyone who comes to her hand. They transfer the stereotype of behavior from one status to another without even thinking. Why do they behave automatically? But because they merged with their main role (main status), merged with them.
Maximum merging with a role is called role identification, and average or minimum – distancing from the role. A university lecturer is told that he will come to a lecture in a formal suit and tie. Many people do this. Others prefer loose clothing - a sweater and jeans. In this way, they emphasize a certain distance from the role of the teacher and at the same time a rapprochement with the students, demonstrating through their behavior that we are all members of the same society, colleagues, equals.
Distancing from the role must be distinguished from reductionsinterstatus distance. Student and professor are not only different statuses, but also different ranks in the status hierarchy. The professor stands above, the student below. When a professor is on an equal footing with students, he symbolically shortens the distance between statuses. But when students, not feeling the real difference between ranks, switch to “you”, this is called familiarity– inappropriately cheeky, too casual behavior towards older people or people of superior status. Since the latter allow familiarity, they testify about a very low level of identification a person with his own status.
The higher society values a certain status, the stronger the degree of identification with it. The more often the holder of a high status seeks, with the help of symbolic attributes (orders, medals, uniforms, titles), to show the difference between him and other statuses.
Some roles, and most of them, are pedestrian, patient, customer, trade union member, etc. – are personally insignificant for a person. A person perceives their absence or presence imperceptibly. They don’t put a piece of their soul and self into them. On the contrary, other roles, and they are a minority, especially those associated with the main status, are perceived as part of the “I”. Their loss is experienced especially deeply - as an internal tragedy. For example, a man who is a producer of material goods, the breadwinner of a family, having lost his job, experiences this as a collapse of personality. The unemployed person changes their style and lifestyle, relationships with loved ones and relatives, leisure structure, and value system. The status of unemployed makes serious changes to the entire status set. The foundations are being destroyed value core of personality– self-respect and self-esteem.
Thus, Each person has his own role system. But a person does not identify himself with all roles in the same way - with some (personally significant) more (role identification), with others (minor) less (distancing from the role). The term “reduction of inter-status distance” describes the nature of the relationship between two or more individuals - carriers of different, but functionally related statuses.
Latin word persona, today denoting personality, in Ancient Greece and Rime denoted an actor's mask, on which, in large strokes - so that it could be seen from the last rows of a huge amphitheater - a character or role was depicted: the role of a villain, the role of a joker, the role of a defender of the oppressed. That is, the social role is the mask, which a person puts on when coming into contact with people. True, she can merge with him: the role will become an inseparable part of her own “I”. It all depends on the degree of identification with the role.
Let's highlight the KEY CONCEPTS:
ROLE SET INTER-STATE DISTANCE
ROLE IDENTIFICATION SETTING
DISTANCE FROM ROLE
Topic: Socialization of personality
Plan: 1. The concept of socialization. Features and stages of socialization.
2. Sociocultural orientations of the youth of Belarus.
3. Public and personal interests. Desocialization and resocialization.
Classical and neoclassical models of the relationship between the economy and the state. Relative independence of the state in a market economy. Objective necessity and goals government regulation.
Functional economic systems – objects of state regulation: support macroeconomic equilibrium and investment activity, suppression of unfair competition, solution of general social issues. The role of the state in the implementation of scientific, technical, structural, social and regional policies.
Stimulation scientific and technological progress, sectoral structure economic growth, support for small and medium-sized businesses.
Basic economic functions governments: providing legal protection for the efficient functioning of markets, redistributing income and wealth, adjusting the distribution of resources, stabilizing the economy, antimonopoly policy, ensuring sustainable money circulation, foreign economic activity.
Methods and basic instruments of state regulation. Direct and indirect methods: State order, budget subsidies, subsidies, income regulation, foreign economic regulation. National and indicative planning is one of the methods of regulating the economy. Macromarketing.
Principles of government intervention in the economy. Features and main directions of state regulation of the transition economy of Russia.
Terms and concepts.
Models of relationships between the economy and the state. Functional economic systems. Functions of government. Methods and tools of state regulation. Indicative planning of economic growth.
- Indirect methods of regulating economic processes.
- Economic boundaries of government intervention in the system of regulating market relations.
- Experience of state regulation of economic and social processes in developed countries peace.
- State regulation of prices, tariffs and incomes.
- Experience of centralized and indicative planning of economic growth in Japan, Canada, France, South Korea, China and other countries.
- Possibilities and scope of regulation of the development of a transition economy.
- The objective need for state intervention in economic processes.
- The main directions of the state's influence on the economy.
- Mechanisms of state regulation.
- Main directions of state socio-economic policy.
Tests.
- The need for state regulation of the economy is justified by representatives of such areas of economic theory as:
B). neoclassical;
IN). Keynesian;
G). all answers are correct.
- J.M. Keynes justified the need for state regulation of the economy by the fact that:
B). in a market economy, macroeconomic equilibrium is established when resources are underutilized;
IN). market system generates a number of processes assessed as market “errors”;
G). all answers are incorrect.
- Market “mistakes” include processes such as:
B). side effects from resource spillover;
IN). uneven distribution of personal income;
G). all answers are correct.
- The functions of the state in a market economy do not include:
B). maintaining a competitive environment;
IN). setting prices for private sector products;
G). countercyclical regulation of the economy.
- The state can directly influence such parts of total expenditures as:
B). household expenses;
IN). volume of imported goods and services;
G). the amount of government purchases of goods and services.
- Public goods are:
B). which are produced in factories public sector economics;
IN). which are consumed state enterprises and organizations;
G). all answers are incorrect.
- Unevenness in the distribution of personal income is typical only for:
B). command-administrative economy;
IN). traditional economy;
G). all answers are correct.
- Conducted government agencies fiscal policy management influences:
B). only for households;
IN). only for enterprises and households;
G). for all macroeconomic entities.
- The monetary policy pursued by the state:
B). does not depend on countercyclical regulation of the economy;
IN). depends on fiscal policy and all other government regulatory impacts on the economy;
G). all answers are incorrect.
- The role of the state in countries with transition economy:
B). decreases;
IN). remains unchanged;
G). all answers are incorrect.
Topic 24. Total income of the population and social policy of the state.
Social politics state in the conditions of the market mechanism of income generation.
Population income, its types and sources of formation. Nominal and real income. Functional and personal distribution of income. Alternative economic theories sources of formation and dynamics of income.
Income differentiation: causes and factors. Measuring income differentiation and assessing its global trends. Distribution of personal income. Personal income distribution. Reasons for income differentiation.
Socio-economic structure of society. Identification of income, property and social status of citizens.
Standard of living. System of indicators for assessing living standards and poverty. Socio-economic mobility and social progress. State redistribution of income; concepts, goals and tools. Economic efficiency and equality. Alternative conceptual approaches to state income redistribution.
System social protection population of Russia in transition period to a market economy: declarations, real content and consequences.
Terms and concepts.
Nominal and real income. The amount of labor income. Functional distribution of income. Personal income distribution. Wealth and prosperity. Income differentiation. Property differentiation. Standard of living. Poverty. Conceptual approaches to government redistribution of income. State indexation of income.
The effect of income redistribution. Social protection system. Lorenz curve. Welfare Economics.
Topics of tests (seminar classes).
- Main trends in the formation and distribution of personal income of the population and evolution social structure society.
- Poverty alleviation programs in different countries.
- Distribution of income between families. Poverty and wealth line.
- Absolute and relative poverty, physical poverty.
- Genesis and evolution of the social protection system.
- Household as an object of economic and social policy.
- The Lorenz curve as a measure of the degree of unevenness of income distribution.
- Economic efficiency and equality.
- “New Russians” and “new poor” in Russia.
- The concept of a socially oriented market. Development and implications of application in different countries.
Tests.
- Which statement about poverty is incorrect:
B). the basis for classifying a person as poor is average per capita income families;
IN). most of the poor in Russia are from a national minority;
G). Quantitative poverty thresholds change over time.
- Which of the income redistribution measures are traditionally taken by the government to reduce poverty:
B) income indexation;
IN). freezing wages;
G). progressive taxation.
- Low personal income exists because:
B). taxes are too high;
IN). employees do not want to work;
G). the economy is in decline.
- Determine the change in real income if there is an increase of 1.5 times per year against the background of inflation of 50% per year:
B). grew up;
IN). fell;
G). cannot be determined.
- The ratio of the shares of wages and profits in national income shows:
B). the importance of the trade union movement in the growth of wages;
IN). distribution of income between various factors of production;
G). trends in entrepreneurship development.
- Name the main factors that determine income differentiation in modern Russia:
B). the level of education;
IN). monopoly position in the market;
G). restraining the growth of wages in the public sector.
- Transfer payments are:
B). one of the forms of wages;
IN). payments that are unilateral in nature in the current period;
G). natural gratuitous benefits.
- Government income policy in countries with market economies is aimed at:
B). maintaining equal levels of wages in various sectors of the economy;
IN). limiting the growth of personal income;
G). redistribution of income through the system of taxes and social transfers.
- The decrease in the degree of inequality in the distribution of personal income is reflected in the Lorenz curve:
B). moving the actual distribution curve down;
IN). approaching the actual distribution curve to the bisector;
G). coincidence of the actual distribution curve with the bisector.
- The nature of income distribution over time is expressed using:
B). Lorenz curve;
IN). level of well-being of the population;
G). Laffer curve.
Topic 25. World economy and the dynamics of its evolution. Integration processes in the world economy.
Stages of formation and main features of the world economy. Growing economic interdependence. Internationalization of material and spiritual production. The role of scientific and technological progress and transnational capital in the internationalization of the economy, strengthening economic interdependence. International migration work force and capital.
World trade. The concept of the world market. International division of labor, the concept of comparative advantage. Comparative advantages of countries in international trade. International trade and problems of macroeconomic equilibrium. Cartoonist foreign trade. Trade balance. Trade deficit: causes and ways to overcome. World prices and comparative costs. Interaction of world and national markets. Protectionism. Free trade and tariffs, quotas, licenses. Export promotion. International economic organizations. Regional markets Europe, America, European-Asian market. Problems of more active inclusion Russian economy into the world market.
The theory of comparative advantage of foreign trade by D. Ricardo. The Heckscher-Ohlin theory of foreign trade and the possibility of its use. Efficiency of foreign trade relations.
Terms and concepts.
Trade policy. The theory of absolute advantage. The theory of comparative advantage. Excess and scarce factors of production. Equilibrium price on the world market. Rate. Production and consumer effects of tariffs. Dumping. Export subsidies. Countervailing duties. Non-tariff barriers. Protectionism. Customs unions. Transnational corporations. Theories of comparative advantage in foreign trade. External debt.
Topics of tests (seminar classes).
- Main features and conditions for the formation of the world economy.
- Dynamics of economic interdependence of global economic entities.
- The international division of labor is a factor in the integration of national entities into world economy.
- Regional markets of the modern world economy.
- Modern aspects of human capital migration.
- Changes in foreign trade in modern Russia.
- Forms of international economic relations.
- Advantages of the world market: comparative advantages (comparison of absolute and relative production costs); comparison of production factors and international specialization of countries (V. Leontiev’s paradox); economies of scale and competitive advantages countries
- Concept of openness national economy. Openness indicators.
- Externally economic policy: quotas, dumping, protectionism. Interstate regulation of economic relations.
Tests.
- At the core international division labor principle lies:
B). territorial isolation;
IN). technical and technological community;
G). natural division of labor.
- The formation and development of the world market is associated with all of the following, except:
B). development of industrialization;
IN). development of transport and communication systems;
G). autarky of national economies.
- Internationalization of production is a process of economic relationships between countries based on:
B). differences in natural and climatic conditions;
IN). specialization and cooperation of production;
G). overcoming economic dependence by countries.
- The principle of specialization of countries within the framework of international exchange based on comparison of “absolute costs” was formulated:
B). A. Smith;
IN). D. Ricardo;
G). J.Mill.
- The principle of "comparative costs" was first formulated:
B). J.Millem;
IN). D. Ricardo;
G). K. Marx.
- Foreign trade turnover is determined by:
B). adding exports to GDP;
IN). summing up export and import values;
G). subtracting the value of imports from the volume of exports.
7. Currently, world trade is dominated by:
A). foodstuffs;
B). manufacturing products;
IN). raw materials;
G). patents, licenses, “experience and knowledge”, engineering services.
- With a positive foreign trade balance, private private enterprises:
B). remains unchanged;
B) shrinks.
- The policy of protectionism is aimed at:
B). protection of domestic production from foreign competitors;
IN). reduction in domestic exports;
G). restrictions on the import of foreign capital.
- Transnational corporations are characterized by:
B). international economic activities;
IN). national origin of capital and international nature of its activities;
G). multinational capital and the international nature of its activities.
Topic 26. International monetary and financial system
Currency concept. The role of currency in international trade. Balance of payments and its structure. Currency market: essence, main features. Currency quote. Demand for currency, demand factors. Currency supply, its factors. Exchange rate. Fixed and floating rates. Evolution of the monetary system. Gold standard. Bretton Woods system. Currency convertibility. Modern monetary system. Operations in the Eurocurrency markets. International Monetary Fund and its functions. Forms of international payments: national currencies, special drawing rights (SDR). World gold market. Gold auctions. Factors influencing the price of gold. Currency problems Russian Federation in the context of the transition to market relations and the development of the process of entering the world economy.
Terms and concepts.
Currency market. Currency supply and demand. Nominal (exchange) exchange rate. Fixed exchange rate. Flexible exchange rate. Gold standard. Appreciation and depreciation of currency. Devaluation. Revaluation. Currency intervention. Purchasing power parity. Currency control. Open economy model.
Topics of tests (seminar classes).
- The concept of regulation of the balance of payments and exchange rate.
- Currency restrictions and their impact on the exchange rate.
- The mechanism of foreign exchange interventions.
- World gold market. Gold auctions.
- Operations in the Eurocurrency markets.
- Ways to achieve currency convertibility.
- Forms of international payments.
- Problems of mutual settlements among CIS countries.
- Analysis of Russia's balance of payments.
- Economic security of Russia.
Tests.
- Gold parity is:
B). gold coin;
IN). price scale;
G). ratio of national currencies based on their gold content.
- Currency parity expresses:
B). the ratio between national currencies established by law;
IN). the ratio of national currencies in accordance with their gold content;
G). purchasing power of a currency.
- The exchange rate is characterized by:
B). gold content of the monetary unit;
IN). the ratio of national currencies in accordance with their gold content;
G). the ratio of national currencies established by a strong-willed decision.
- The currency cross rate is determined based on:
B). gold parity of other currencies;
IN). exchange rates of other countries;
G). currency parity.
- The forward rate provides for the transaction:
B). based on the current exchange rate;
IN). associated with the spot rate in the future;
G). not related to hedging or speculation.
- The demonetization of gold began with the following decision:
B). Jamaica Conference;
IN). Genoa Conference;
- Trade balance:
B). includes the balance of payments;
IN). has no relation to the balance of payments;
G). does not include re-export.
8. Balance of payments:
A). is an integral part of the trade balance;
B). includes the trade balance;
IN). does not include income and expenses from foreign exchange and credit operations;
G). is not connected with the interbank foreign exchange market.
9. The weakening of the national currency and the depreciation of its exchange rate is caused by:
A). positive balance of payments;
B). positive trade balance;
IN). negative balance of trade and payments;
G). lowering the level of taxation.
10.Fixed exchange rate is maintained:
A). budget policy governments;
B). foreign exchange interventions Central Bank;
IN). foreign economic policy of the government;
G). balance of trade.
Social status, income and property
The most significant category of residents (more than a quarter of their total number) work as specialists (with special education). Among men over 40, their share reaches almost 45%. Slightly less than a quarter of the total population are pensioners. But among older women there are more than 47%. Employees without special education make up one fifth of the population. Workers - one tenth, with women under 40 in working positions - 22%. Managers overall make up less than 6% of the adult population, but among women under 40 their share is almost 10%. Among these women, there are twice as many managers as entrepreneurs. And among men of the same age, bureaucrats and bourgeois are equally divided - 7% each. (It is noteworthy that in general all entrepreneurs in this Moscow belt are under 40 years old). Our survey could not capture large entrepreneurs, as well as large bosses (they rarely walk the streets). But if we talk about small and medium-sized officials and businessmen, then In the Moscow population as a whole there are twice as many bureaucrats as capitalists. As for the profitability of medium and small businesses compared to the profitability of medium and small management positions, let us pay attention to the following: among the wealthy population there are three times more officials than entrepreneurs, and among the poor part there are half as many as entrepreneurs.
The financial status of Muscovites living in the studied area is evident from their answers to the traditional set of questions from the Levada Center. Below are the results of a survey of the population of the entire Moscow, carried out in the same month.
From the comparison it is clear that in general outline The financial situation of the studied contingent and the population of Moscow coincides (Fig. 3). However, among the population of this zone the proportion of the most prosperous citizens is somewhat smaller. There is reason to believe that a significant part of this contingent lives inside The third transport ring, in a different way - in the center, and not on the periphery of Moscow.
Figure 3. What is your family's income level?
Concerning general balance financial situation, it is clear that the share of the wealthy is about one tenth; almost half of Moscow residents live in a situation of limited income. The rest are residents with modest means. It is significant that those who report significant financial difficulties are few, clearly less than 1/10. Although there is no need to talk about the presence of a significant “middle class,” we must pay attention to the very high concentration (85%) of ratings in two positions precisely in the middle of the scale. The filling of the extreme positions is incomparably less. (However, we note once again that the richest, as well as the very poor, are, as a rule, underrepresented in such surveys. Their reach is very low).
Important point: among those born in Moscow, the share of those who buy “expensive things” is 51%; among those who came to Moscow, albeit a long time ago, it is 44%; in the even higher income category, the advantage, albeit small, is again in favor of “native” Muscovites. In less affluent groups the picture is reversed. It is obvious that the social and other capital accumulated by more than one generation in a Moscow family is higher than that which can be accumulated over the life of one generation in the same city. Another factor is the relatively older (average) age of newcomers than the “natives”; accordingly, more high share pensioners, which in turn explains lower disposable incomes.
Here are the sources of income for Muscovites living in this zone (Fig. 4):
Figure 4. What are the main sources of income for your family?
Income from entrepreneurial activity highest among young men (7%), among other categories they make up a very small share. The earnings of people in liberal professions or from free activities are everywhere negligible. Income from individual labor activity highest among women under 40 years of age (8%). Income from renting apartments reaches 5% for the more affluent. They have something to rent and this makes them even richer. 77% of Muscovites live on a salary, among men over 40 this figure reaches 95%, about a third live on a pension - their own or a member of their family (no less than 38% of women under 40 report this existence). In the segment of the less affluent, the value of pensions is 48%, in the segment of the more affluent it is more than two times lower - 21%. Let us note once again that mass wealth in Moscow is created by the service, not by business. Prosperous Muscovites in 9 cases out of 10 have income from their salaries. Let us remember that this is a salary, if it is high, - the salary of managers and officials.
The survey provides information about what Muscovites living in the studied area have at their disposal (Fig. 5).
Figure 5. Which of the following is present in your family?
Let us first note the very high level of motorization for Russia. Even in poor families, 37% have some kind of car. (From other surveys it is known that the fleet of not new and simply old domestic cars is concentrated in this segment). But no one there has a second car. Among wealthier families, 63% have one car, 17% have a second or more.
13% of men under 40 have two or more apartments - twice as many as women of their age and almost twice as many as men over 40. Among native Muscovites, approximately every tenth person has a second apartment, among “non-indigenous” Muscovites - one and a half times less. The poor population also to some extent (5%) owns such a resource.
97% of the district's residents live in separate apartments, the share of those living in communal apartments ranges from 1% for the more affluent to 4% for the least affluent. At the same time, 78% report that the apartment belongs to them or members of their family, another 13% responded that the apartment belongs to their relatives. It is significant that among those born in Moscow, 84% are owners, and among those born outside Moscow, 69%. For the last category, 17% live in an apartment owned by relatives, while for Muscovites it is only 10%. On average, 7% have non-privatized (municipal, departmental) housing, but among the less affluent part, 11% live in such conditions, and among the more affluent - less than 5%.
The distribution of residents of different wealth levels by floor is indicative (Fig. 6). Among the less wealthy, 52% live within 5 floors, of which 18% live on 1-2 floors. And among the more prosperous, within five floors – 43%, including on the first two – 12%. Among the first category, 16% live on the 11th floor and above, and among the second - 19%. It can be assumed that the poorer population is much more likely than the affluent population to live in five-story buildings built a long time ago, and the more affluent population is located in newer, higher-rise buildings.
Figure 6. What floor do you live on?
The picture of owning suburban housing and real estate outside of Moscow is very interesting. As seen, The most common type of country property is a house on a garden plot. It is available to 38% of more affluent and 22% of less affluent Muscovites. On the contrary, the poorer (16%) more often have a house in the village, less often the wealthier (13%), similarly, 16% of those born outside of Moscow and 13% of native Muscovites have it. It is clear that some of those who arrived have retained contact with their roots in the village, and it is also clear that their lag behind Muscovites in the dynamics of urbanization affects their accumulated capital in Moscow.
Those who once came to Moscow partially retained real estate in other places (7%), among “native” Muscovites it can be found half as often.
Cottages, country houses in general, approximately 8% of respondents have them. (Let us remind you once again that the richest Muscovites, firstly, are least likely to live in the areas studied, and secondly, those of them who live there are most likely not covered by the survey).
Are the following statements true (yes or no)?
1. In conditions full employment the unemployment rate is zero.
2. The actual unemployment rate cannot be less than the natural one.
3. If actual output in the economy is greater than potential, then resources are at full employment levels.
4. The natural rate of unemployment is the amount of unemployment that cannot disappear on its own, even in the long term.
5. The natural rate of unemployment includes frictional, structural and cyclical unemployment.
6. If the unemployment rate is equal to the natural rate, the volumes of potential and actual GDP are equal.
7. If the unemployment rate in the economy is equal to its natural level, then employment is full.
8. The natural rate of unemployment cannot be changed by government policy.
9. An increase in unemployment benefits contributes to an increase in its level.
10. Frictional unemployment is not only obligatory, but also desirable for society.
11. Main reason frictional unemployment imperfection of information appears.
12. Sectoral shifts in the economy can lead to an increase in the level of frictional unemployment.
13. All people who first appeared on the labor market belong to the category of frictional unemployed.
14. The reason for structural unemployment is the discrepancy between the structure of the labor force and the structure of jobs.
15. If actual GDP is equal to potential, then there is no structural unemployment in the country.
16. Cyclical unemployment occurs only when aggregate spending in the economy is insufficient.
17. During a downturn in the economy, cyclical unemployment is sure to occur, but frictional and structural unemployment may be absent.
18. The overall unemployment rate may be negative.
19. Cyclical unemployment can be negative.
20. Inflation means an increase in the prices of all goods and services produced in the economy.
21. If the inflation rate decreases, this means that the prices of all goods have decreased.
22. If the inflation rate decreased by 2%, then this is deflation.
23. In conditions when the potential and actual volumes of GDP are equal, an increase in aggregate expenditures leads to inflation.
24. The reason for high inflation is that countries that spend more money They print too much money than they receive in tax revenue.
25. If the inflation rate is 150%, this means that the price level has increased by 1.5 times.
26. An increase in aggregate spending in an economy at its potential output level leads to demand inflation.
27. Inflation caused by increased military spending in an economy is an example of cost-push inflation.
28. An increase in the price level and an increase in output are the result of demand inflation.
29. The result of cost-push inflation is an increase in the price level and a decrease in output.
30. Rising prices for raw materials can cause both demand and cost inflation.
31. Increasing wages can cause both demand and cost inflation.
32. Stagflation is the result of a sharp reduction in aggregate spending.
33. Stagflation means an increase in the price level, while real output and employment can either rise or fall.
Examples of problem solving
Problem 1
Let the Phillips curve be given by the following equation: What should be the cyclical unemployment in this year so that the inflation rate decreases by 6 percentage points compared to the previous year? If, in accordance with Okun's law, a deviation of unemployment from the natural rate by 1 percentage point corresponds to a change in the level of GDP by 2%, then what will be the loss coefficient from the fight against inflation?
Solution
According to the Phillips curve, in order to reduce inflation, the unemployment rate must be higher than natural for a certain time. Let us rewrite the equation of the Phillips curve in such a way that on the left side we obtain the required value of the reduction in inflation: According to the condition, it is known that 
, or 6 percentage points, then:
hence the actual unemployment rate is u = 0.16.
As is known, cyclical unemployment is the difference between its actual and natural values. From the equation, it is clear that the natural rate of unemployment is 0.06, or 6%. This is the unemployment rate at which actual value inflation rate coincides with expected, the latter in in this case equal to the inflation rate of the previous period, that is 
. Thus, cyclical unemployment is 10%, that is, (u – u*) = 0.16 – 0.06 = 0.1, or 10%.
According to the conditions of the problem, a deviation of the actual unemployment rate from the natural one by 1 percentage point corresponds to a change in GDP by 2%. In this case, the actual unemployment rate is 10 percentage points higher than the natural rate, therefore GDP should decrease by 20%. The loss ratio measures how much percent of annual GDP must be sacrificed to reduce inflation by 1 percentage point. Dividing the 20% decline in GDP by 6 percentage points of decline in inflation, we obtain a loss ratio of ≈ 3.3.
Problem 2
Suppose that a country produces and consumes three goods. The table shows data on the quantity and prices of each product for the reporting and base periods. Calculate the Paasche, Laspeyres and Fischer price indices, draw conclusions about the dynamics of inflation processes.
Table 31
| Product | Base year | Reporting year |
||
| price | quantity | price | quantity |
|
| Product A | 10 | 10 | 15 | 8 |
| Product B | 27 | 6 | 24 | 7 |
| Product B | 655 | 3 | 425 | 5 |
Solution
The Laspeyres price index is calculated using the formula:
where p i 0 and p i 1 are the prices of the i-th product in the basic and reporting period, q i 0 – quantity of the i-th product in the base period.
According to the assignment:
The Paasche price index is defined as follows:
where p i 0 and p i 1 are the prices of the i-th product in the base and reporting period, q i 0 and q i 1 are the quantity of the i-th product in the base and reporting period.
According to the assignment:
The Laspeyres price index indicates a decrease in the price level by 30% in the reporting year compared to the base year, however, it does not take into account changes in the structure of goods produced and consumed, which leads to an overestimation of the increase in the cost of living. In turn, the Paasche index somewhat underestimates the increase in the price level (by convention, prices have already decreased by 32%). The Fisher index averages the results obtained:
Problem 3
The population is 100 million people, 24 million people are children under 16 years of age, as well as people in long-term isolation (in psychiatric hospitals, correctional institutions); 30 million people dropped out of the labor force; 4 million 600 thousand people are unemployed; 1 million people are part-time workers and looking for work. Using these statistics, calculate the size of the labor force and the unemployment rate.
Solution
Labor force = Total number population – Number of disabled people (persons under 16 years of age and persons in institutional care) – Number of those who have left the labor force = 100 million people. – 24 million people. – 30 million people. = 46 million people
Unemployment rate = Number of unemployed / Number of labor force × 100% = 4.6 million people / 46 million people × 100% = 10%.
Data on part-time workers and job seekers are redundant for this purpose and should not be used in the calculations.
Problem 4
The natural unemployment rate this year is 6%, and the actual rate is 10%. Determine the relative gap between actual GDP and potential GDP, provided that the sensitivity coefficient of GDP to the dynamics of cyclical unemployment is equal to 2.
If actual output that year was $600 billion, what is the loss in GDP caused by cyclical unemployment?
Solution
1. The value of the relative deviation of real GDP from potential GDP can be found using Okun’s law:
where Y is the actual volume of output; Y * – potential output volume; β is the coefficient of sensitivity of GDP to the dynamics of cyclical unemployment (Ouken's coefficient); U – actual unemployment rate; U * – natural rate of unemployment.
Substituting these problems into the given model, we get:
This means that due to cyclical unemployment, actual output fell relative to potential by 8%.
2. To answer the question of the problem, you need to find economic potential Y* from the equation:
After algebraic transformations we have: Y * = 652.2 billion dollars. GDP losses caused by cyclical unemployment are: Y – Y * = 600 – 652.2 = – 52.2 billion dollars.
Problem 5
The annual inflation rate is 7%. In how many years will the inflation rate double?
Solution
To make the calculation, you must use the “rule of 70,” which allows (at an inflation rate of up to 30%) to determine the number of years required to double the inflation rate at a constant annual value. Based on this rule, you should divide the number 70 by the inflation rate as a percentage, that is, 70 / 7% = 10 years.
Tasks
1. The economy is described by the following data. The natural unemployment rate is 6%, the actual unemployment rate is 7.33%, and potential GDP increases by 3% per year. How fast must actual output increase to ensure full employment of resources next year at the natural rate of unemployment? The sensitivity coefficient of GDP to the dynamics of cyclical unemployment is 3.
2. Over five years, the inflation rate was reduced by 5 percentage points. The accumulated cyclical unemployment rate during this time amounted to 10 percentage points. It is known that one percentage point of excess of the unemployment rate over the natural rate corresponds to a decrease in GDP by 3 percent. Calculate the coefficient of losses from fighting inflation (as the ratio of GDP losses and changes in the inflation rate).
3. The natural rate of unemployment in the economy is 6%. The actual unemployment rate over the four years was 7.5%, 9.5%, 8.5%, 7.5%. Each percentage point that the actual unemployment rate exceeds its natural value corresponds to a three percent deviation downward from the potential level of GDP. During this period, inflation decreased by 6 percentage points. What is the loss rate from fighting inflation?
4. The loss coefficient from lower inflation is 4.5. One percentage point above the unemployment rate from its natural value means a loss of 2% of GDP. During the period under review, the accumulated cyclical unemployment rate was 9%. By how many percentage points was the inflation rate reduced during this period?
5. The Phillips curve equation is presented as: where u* = 5%, or 0.05; β = 0.4; π e = 8%, or 0.08; ε = 0. In order to fight inflation, the government decided to reduce aggregate demand by reducing government purchases. This policy led to an increase in the unemployment rate to 10%, or 0.1. What was the final inflation rate?
6. The consumer basket of an average urban family in the United States cost $14,000 in the base year, and the same basket in the reporting year already cost $21,000 (at current prices). The consumer basket of goods and services purchased in the reporting year cost $20,000 (in prices reporting year), while the same basket at base year prices cost $15,000. Calculate the index consumer prices for the reporting year compared to the base year.
7. It is known that GDP in 1995 amounted to 1429 billion rubles. In 2000, the real volume of GDP in 1995 prices was equal to 1,547 billion rubles. Using the data presented in the table, calculate: a) price changes from 1995 to 2000; b) price changes from 1995 to 2002. and from 1995 to 2004; c) change in real GDP from 1995 to 2004.
Table 32
8. The consumer basket consists of 2 kg of flour and 4 kg of apples. Compared to the base year, the price of flour increased from 8 to 10 rubles. per kg, and the price of apples – from 15 to 20 rubles. per kg. Determine the consumer price index.
9. If the actual unemployment rate exceeds its natural rate by 3%, then what is the gap between real GDP and its potential level?
10. The population is 120 million people, including 70 million people are the economically active population, and 6.3 million people. - unemployed. Determine the unemployment rate.
11. The population is 90 million people, including the number of employed people - 57 million people, and the number of unemployed people - 3 million people. Find the unemployment rate.
12. Last year, the economy of a conditional country was characterized by the following parameters: potential GDP level - 4,125 million rubles; the actual level of GDP is 3,712.5 million rubles; the actual unemployment rate is 10%. Determine the natural rate of unemployment in the country if the Okun coefficient is 2.5%.
13. Actual GDP volume in given year was equal to 2,000 million rubles, the potential volume of GDP amounted to 2,300 million rubles. The natural rate of unemployment is 5%. Determine the actual unemployment rate for a given year if the Okun ratio is 2.5%.
14. In the economy of a hypothetical country, the natural unemployment rate is 5%, and the actual rate is 9%. This year, potential GDP is expected to grow by 8%. Determine by what percentage the actual volume of GDP must increase in order to ensure full employment of resources in a given year at the natural rate of unemployment (Oken's coefficient is 2.5).
15. Last year there were the following unemployment rates: frictional – 3%, structural – 3%, cyclical – 10%. Volume nominal GDP amounted to 2,700 million rubles, Okun’s coefficient – 2.5. Determine what the volume of GDP would be if unemployment did not exceed its natural level.
16. Suppose that the economy of a fictitious country is in a state of full employment. The potential and actual volumes of real GDP are 3,000 den. units with an unemployment rate of 6%. This year it is expected economic recession with an estimated real GDP of 2,400 den. units Determine to what level the unemployment rate will increase next year in accordance with Okun's law (Ouken's coefficient is 2.5).
17. Calculate the consumer price index based on the table data:
Table 33
| Index | Product A | Product B | Product B | Product G |
| Physical volume consumption, thousand pcs. | 1 000 | 4 000 | 30 000 | 600 |
| Prices in the base year, rub. | 100 | 50 | 1 000 | 2 |
| Prices in the accounting year, rub. | 200 | 150 | 2 000 | 5 |
18. It is known that the volume of potential GDP, characterized by a 6% unemployment rate, is $5,000 billion. This year, the volume of real GDP amounted to $4,500 billion. Next year it is predicted economic growth with a corresponding increase in real GDP to $4,750 billion. Determine how the unemployment rate in the country will change in accordance with Okun's law (Ouken's coefficient - 2.5).
19. Suppose that a citizen has entered into an employment contract to perform a certain amount of work within a month total cost 4,000 den. units Determine the absolute financial losses of a citizen due to the fact that with 50% inflation per month, payment for work performed is carried out not at the beginning, but at the end of the month.
20. House purchased in January 2007 for 2 thousand. units, was sold in January 2010 for 8.4 thousand den. units Inflation by year was: 2007 – 60%, 2008 – 50%, 2009 – 40%, 2010 – 30%. Estimate the seller's gain as a percentage as a result of the transaction.
^
Tasks for independent work
Labor force and human capital. Unity and contradictions in formation and use.
Cyclicality in employment dynamics.
Labor market infrastructure.
Migration and emigration of labor resources.
Types of unemployment and their dependence on the dynamics of the social division of labor.
Methods of state regulation of employment in the Russian economy.
Social costs of anti-inflationary regulation and their minimization.
Inflation expectations in the economy.
Inflation and income management policy.
Methods for indexing household incomes in conditions of inflation.
^
Topic 5. SOCIAL POLICY OF THE STATE
Theoretical basis for preparation
to the practical lesson
Social policy of the state in the context of the market mechanism of income generation.
Population income, its types and sources of formation. Nominal and real income. Functional and personal distribution of income.
Income differentiation: causes and factors. Measuring income differentiation and assessing its global trends.
Distribution of personal income. Personal income distribution. Reasons for income differentiation.
Socio-economic structure of society. Identification of income, property and social status of citizens.
Standard of living. System of indicators for assessing living standards and poverty. Socio-economic mobility and social progress. State income redistribution: concepts, goals and tools. Economic efficiency and equality, Alternative conceptual approaches to state income redistribution.
The system of social protection of the population of Russia in the transition period to a market economy: declarations, real content and consequences.
^
Basic concepts needed to study the topic
Social policy is aimed at solving the following tasks:
1) stabilization of living standards of the population and prevention of mass poverty;
2) curbing the growth of unemployment and material support for the unemployed, as well as preparing labor resources of a size and quality that meet the needs social production;
3) maintenance stable level real incomes of the population through anti-inflationary measures and income indexation;
4) development of industries social sphere(education, healthcare, housing sector, Culture and art).
Social policy has a number of functions:
1) compensatory – aimed at eliminating external constraining conditions that do not allow the individual to be an active participant in the relations existing in society;
2) elective – aimed at determining the circumstances and properties of the individual himself, allowing him to be classified as needy;
3) cumulative - accumulates the social potential of the state, expressed in the dependence of individuals on the socio-political activities of the state.
The main principles of social policy are:
1) protecting the standard of living by introducing various forms of compensation for price increases and carrying out indexation;
2) providing assistance to the poorest families;
3) provision of assistance in case of unemployment;
4) policy enforcement social insurance, establishing a minimum wage for workers;
5) development of education, health care, environment mainly at the expense of the state;
6) pursuing an active policy aimed at ensuring qualifications.
Test 1
1. Suppose that the state has decided to achieve complete equality in income. This suggests that:
a) the whole society will become richer;
b) economic efficiency will be significantly reduced;
c) there will be no need for income tax any type;
D) both equality and economic efficiency will increase.
2. When the government makes transfers to in kind, it:
a) transfers money directly to the recipient;
b) allows the recipient to reduce his tax obligations to the state;
c) transfers goods and services for which payment is not required;
d) makes transfers only to elderly and disabled people.
3. Which of the following is included in functional distribution income:
a) labor income in the form of wages;
b) capital income in the form of interest;
c) rental income of land;
d) profit.
4. The need for social policy is due to the fact that:
a) the market mechanism does not guarantee a minimum level of well-being for all citizens;
b) the state always has free financial resources to support the poorest segments of the population;
c) one of the requirements of international law is to support the poor;
d) political instability is often a consequence of social tension.
5. Of the following does not apply to the immediate objectives of social policy:
a) development of social infrastructure;
b) territorial planning;
c) creating conditions for comprehensive human development;
d) establishing income tax rates individuals.
6. The concept of social infrastructure includes:
a) housing and communal services;
b) healthcare institutions;
c) companies providing consulting services small business;
d) toll roads.
7. The development of the country’s human potential involves the following measures:
a) creating conditions for the realization of basic socio-economic human rights;
b) formation of economic incentives for the development of entrepreneurship;
c) increasing the level of education;
d) socialization and professional guidance of youth.
8. Currently in Russia social support is provided to the following categories of the population:
a) disabled people;
b) large families;
c) stateless persons;
d) scientists engaged in socially significant research.
9. Magnitude living wage is intended to cover the following expenses:
a) payment utilities;
b) sanatorium-resort treatment;
c) satisfying physiological nutritional needs;
d) training and advanced training.
10. Most high level social protection of the population has been achieved in such countries as:
a) Norway, Sweden;
b) Sweden, USA, Canada;
c) France, Germany;
d) Great Britain, France.
11. The basic principles guaranteeing the right of every person to work in any state are:
a) equality of subjects in the labor market;
b) free choice of profession and area of employment;
c) legislative regulation of working conditions;
d) equality of all citizens before the law.
12. Currently in Russia it is established that the duration of working hours per week cannot exceed:
a) 36 hours;
b) 48 hours;
c) 40 hours;
d) 42 hours.
13. The right to annual paid leave arises for an employee after ___ months of work in the organization:
d) 6.
14. Main local normative act regulating labor law issues at an enterprise is:
A) Labor Code;
b) collective agreement;
c) internal labor regulations;
d) employment agreement.
15. Questions in the international arena regulatory regulation and monitoring compliance with citizens’ rights to work is engaged in:
c) UNESCO;
go on.
16. The negative consequences of social policy include the following:
a) unemployment benefits delay the search for work and lead to an increase in the claims of the unemployed;
b) an unjustified increase in social spending leads to a state budget deficit;
c) reduction in real wages;
d) expansion shadow economy due to reluctance to pay wages in full and pay taxes on them.
17. Indicators that determine the degree of fair distribution of income are:
a) real total income and per capita income;
b) minimum consumer basket and minimum wage;
c) cost of living level and cost of living index;
d) decile coefficients, Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient.
18. The nature of income distribution over time is expressed using:
a) Gini coefficient;
b) Lorentz curve;
c) the level of well-being of the population;
a) change in the cost of living;
b) the dynamics of the cost of goods and services in the volume of their sales in the current period;
c) change in the cost of consumer goods in the volume of their sales in the base period;
d) transition from a minimum consumer basket to a rational one.
20. The Paasche index reveals the dynamics:
a) the cost of consumer goods in the volume of their sales in the base period;
b) changes in the structure of the consumer basket;
c) changes in the structure of expenses of the “average family”;
d) the cost of goods and services in the volume of their sales in the current period.
Test 2
1. Nominal wages are:
a) accrued wages;
b) wages minus taxes and other payments;
c) salary plus cash receipts from other sources;
d) all of the above.
2. Real wages are:
a) the number of goods and services purchased for nominal wages;
b) wages. Remaining after deducting taxes and other payments;
c) the amount of family expenses during the month;
d) all answers are correct.
3. The following data on price dynamics are available:
Table 34
Let us assume that the increase in the level of nominal wages for workers entering into employment contracts for a two-year period starting from 2009, is determined by the relationship: ΔW / W = 0.1 (where W is the nominal wage). In this case, it can be argued that real wages:
a) will tend to decrease;
b) will remain unchanged;
c) will increase more significantly in 2010 than in 2009;
d) will increase more significantly in 2009 than in 2010.
4. Nominal incomes of the country's population increased by 50% over the year. If the price level over the same period increased by 25%, then real income population:
a) increased by 20%;
b) decreased by 20%;
c) increased by 25%;
d) decreased by 25%.
5. The Lorenz curve can be used to measure:
a) changes in tax rates;
b) change in the level of wages;
c) changes in prices of production factors;
d) none of the above applies.
6. If the Lorenz curve is a ray with an angle of inclination of 45º, the variables being compared at each point on the curve will be:
a) have the same values;
b) have negative values;
c) unequal values;
a) income inequality in society;
b) similarities between family incomes;
c) comparability of family incomes;
d) equality of income in society.
8. Standard of living is determined by:
a) current income, accumulated material property;
b) the number of social services provided free of charge;
c) a system of minimum consumer budgets– physiological, subsistence and social minimums;
d) all answers are correct.
9. The objects of social policy are:
A) living and working conditions of a person;
B) intergroup and interpersonal relations;
B) social structure;
D) all answers are correct.
10. Social policy is carried out by the state using various but interrelated mechanisms determined during its formation, namely:
1) legislative and regulatory framework;
2) tax levers and incentives;
4) financial and credit mechanism.
D) 1 – 4.
11. The set of long-term and medium-term goals for the development of society in the field of the level and quality of life of the population is:
A) social policy;
B) social strategy;
B) social tactics;
D) economic policy.
12. Absolute poverty is:
a) the level of per capita income in the household, at which the subsistence level or other indicator that is used to assess the standard of living is not achieved;
b) the level of per capita income in the household is insufficient according to the household’s own assessment;
c) the level of per capita income in the household is below the average for the region or other continuum used for calculation average size
D) all answers are correct.
13. The subsistence minimum for the Russian Federation as a whole is intended for:
a) assessing the standard of living of the population of the Russian Federation in the development and implementation of social policy and federal social programs;
b) justification for those established at the federal level minimum size wages and the minimum old-age pension, as well as to determine the amount of scholarships, benefits and other social payments;
c) formation of the federal budget.
D) all answers are correct.
14. In general, for the Russian Federation and in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the cost of living is determined:
a) is established annually by the Government of the Russian Federation;
b) at least once every five years based on methodological recommendations, developed with the participation of all-Russian trade union associations, in the manner established by the Government of the Russian Federation;
c) quarterly based on the consumer basket and data from the State Committee of the Russian Federation on Statistics on the level of consumer prices for food, non-food goods and services and expenses for mandatory payments and fees;
d) there is no correct answer.
15. The main areas of social protection of the population do not include:
A) social protection of children, childhood and adolescence;
B) social protection of pensioners;
C) social protection of disabled citizens;
D) social protection of the family.
16. Which of the following does not apply to the basic principles of developing state policy on the labor market in countries with market economies:
a) recognition of a person’s property right to his ability to perform productive and creative work;
b) the responsibility of the state for ensuring full employment of the population (providing everyone who wants to work with a job);
c) the availability of state guarantees in the field of promoting the employment of citizens and material support for persons recognized as unemployed in the prescribed manner;
D) all answers are correct.
17. The social policy budget is a complex formation and consists of:
a) consolidated state budget;
B) employer funds;
B) household budgets;
D) all answers are correct.
18. Model of state paternalism:
D) there is no correct answer.
19. Liberal model of social policy:
a) is focused on the state’s determination of qualitative (ideology) and quantitative (social sphere) parameters of all forms of relations in society without exception and the elimination of alternative types of these relations;
b) is based on the postulate of dividing members of society into economically strong and economically weak;
c) assumes that in cases of extreme (force majeure) situations due to natural (earthquakes, floods, etc.) or man-made causes (accidents, terrorist attacks, etc.) assistance from state budget is provided to all households without exception, regardless of their income level.
D) there is no correct answer.
20. The economic effect of social policy is:
a) the ratio of the costs of social policy to the result (social effect) that was caused by these costs;
b) the difference between the result of social policy (social effect), expressed in monetary units, and the costs that ensured this result;
c) the difference between indicators characterizing the state of the social sphere for the final and initial (base) periods of time;
d) the ratio of the social effect of social policy to the indicator characterizing the state of the social sphere in the initial (base) period of time.
Theoretical basis for preparation
To the practical lesson
Social policy of the state in the context of the market mechanism of income generation.
Population income, its types and sources of formation. Nominal and real income. Functional and personal distribution of income.
Income differentiation: causes and factors. Measuring income differentiation and assessing its global trends.
Distribution of personal income. Personal income distribution. Reasons for income differentiation.
Socio-economic structure of society. Identification of income, property and social status of citizens.
Standard of living. System of indicators for assessing living standards and poverty. Socio-economic mobility and social progress. State income redistribution: concepts, goals and tools. Economic efficiency and equality, Alternative conceptual approaches to state income redistribution.
The system of social protection of the population of Russia in the transition period to a market economy: declarations, real content and consequences.
Basic concepts needed to study the topic
Social policy is aimed at solving the following tasks:
1) stabilization of living standards of the population and prevention of mass poverty;
2) curbing the growth of unemployment and material support for the unemployed, as well as training labor resources of a size and quality that meet the needs of social production;
3) maintaining a stable level of real income of the population through anti-inflationary measures and income indexation;
4) development of sectors of the social sphere (education, healthcare, housing, culture and art).
Social policy has a number of functions:
1) compensatory – aimed at eliminating external constraining conditions that do not allow the individual to be an active participant in the relations existing in society;
2) elective – aimed at determining the circumstances and properties of the individual himself, allowing him to be classified as needy;
3) cumulative - accumulates the social potential of the state, expressed in the dependence of individuals on the socio-political activities of the state.
The main principles of social policy are:
1) protecting the standard of living by introducing various forms of compensation for price increases and carrying out indexation;
2) providing assistance to the poorest families;
3) provision of assistance in case of unemployment;
4) ensuring social insurance policy, establishing a minimum wage for workers;
5) development of education, health protection, and the environment mainly at the expense of the state;
6) pursuing an active policy aimed at ensuring qualifications.
Test 1
1. Suppose that the state has decided to achieve complete equality in income. This suggests that:
a) the whole society will become richer;
b) economic efficiency will be significantly reduced;
c) there will be no need for any type of income tax;
D) both equality and economic efficiency will increase.
2. When the government makes transfers in kind, it:
a) transfers money directly to the recipient;
b) allows the recipient to reduce its tax obligations to the state;
c) transfers goods and services for which payment is not required;
d) makes transfers only to elderly and disabled people.
3. Which of the following is included in the functional distribution of income:
a) labor income in the form of wages;
b) capital income in the form of interest;
c) rental income of land;
d) profit.
4. The need for social policy is due to the fact that:
a) the market mechanism does not guarantee a minimum level of well-being for all citizens;
b) the state always has free financial resources to support the poorest segments of the population;
c) one of the requirements of international law is to support the poor;
d) political instability is often a consequence of social tension.
5. Of the following does not apply to the immediate objectives of social policy:
a) development of social infrastructure;
b) territorial planning;
c) creating conditions for comprehensive human development;
d) establishing tax rates on personal income.
6. The concept of social infrastructure includes:
a) housing and communal services;
b) healthcare institutions;
c) firms providing consulting services to small businesses;
d) toll roads.
7. The development of the country’s human potential involves the following measures:
a) creating conditions for the realization of basic socio-economic human rights;
b) formation of economic incentives for the development of entrepreneurship;
c) increasing the level of education;
d) socialization and professional guidance of youth.
8. Currently in Russia social support is provided to the following categories of the population:
a) disabled people;
b) large families;
c) stateless persons;
d) scientists engaged in socially significant research.
9. The cost of living is intended to cover the following expenses:
a) payment of utilities;
b) sanatorium-resort treatment;
c) satisfying physiological nutritional needs;
d) training and advanced training.
10. The highest level of social protection of the population has been achieved in such countries as:
a) Norway, Sweden;
b) Sweden, USA, Canada;
c) France, Germany;
d) Great Britain, France.
11. The basic principles guaranteeing the right of every person to work in any state are:
a) equality of subjects in the labor market;
b) free choice of profession and area of employment;
c) legislative regulation of working conditions;
d) equality of all citizens before the law.
12. Currently in Russia it is established that the duration of working hours per week cannot exceed:
a) 36 hours;
b) 48 hours;
c) 40 hours;
d) 42 hours.
13. The right to annual paid leave arises for an employee after ___ months of work in the organization:
14. The main local regulatory act regulating labor law issues at an enterprise is:
a) Labor Code;
b) collective agreement;
c) internal labor regulations;
d) employment agreement.
15. In the international arena, issues of regulatory regulation and monitoring of compliance with citizens’ rights to work are dealt with by:
c) UNESCO;
16. The negative consequences of social policy include the following:
a) unemployment benefits delay the search for work and lead to an increase in the claims of the unemployed;
b) an unjustified increase in social spending leads to a state budget deficit;
c) reduction in real wages;
d) expansion of the shadow economy due to reluctance to pay wages in full and pay taxes on them.
17. Indicators that determine the degree of fair distribution of income are:
a) real total income and per capita income;
b) minimum consumer basket and minimum wage;
c) cost of living level and cost of living index;
d) decile coefficients, Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient.
18. The nature of income distribution over time is expressed using:
a) Gini coefficient;
b) Lorentz curve;
c) the level of well-being of the population;
d) Laffer curve.
a) change in the cost of living;
b) the dynamics of the cost of goods and services in the volume of their sales in the current period;
c) change in the cost of consumer goods in the volume of their sales in the base period;
d) transition from a minimum consumer basket to a rational one.
a) the cost of consumer goods in the volume of their sales in the base period;
b) changes in the structure of the consumer basket;
c) changes in the structure of expenses of the “average family”;
d) the cost of goods and services in the volume of their sales in the current period.
Test 2
1. Nominal wages are:
a) accrued wages;
b) wages minus taxes and other payments;
c) wages plus cash receipts from other sources;
d) all of the above.
2. Real wages are:
a) the number of goods and services purchased for nominal wages;
b) wages. Remaining after deducting taxes and other payments;
c) the amount of family expenses during the month;
d) all answers are correct.
3. The following data on price dynamics are available:
Table 34
Let us assume that the increase in the level of nominal wages for workers entering into employment contracts for a two-year period starting in 2009 is due to the relationship: ΔW / W = 0.1 (where W is the nominal wage). In this case, it can be argued that real wages:
a) will tend to decrease;
b) will remain unchanged;
c) will increase more significantly in 2010 than in 2009;
d) will increase more significantly in 2009 than in 2010.
4. Nominal incomes of the country's population increased by 50% over the year. If the price level over the same period increased by 25%, then the real incomes of the population:
a) increased by 20%;
b) decreased by 20%;
c) increased by 25%;
d) decreased by 25%.
5. The Lorenz curve can be used to measure:
a) changes in tax rates;
b) change in the level of wages;
c) changes in prices of production factors;
d) none of the above applies.
6. If the Lorenz curve is a ray with an angle of inclination of 45º, the variables being compared at each point on the curve will be:
a) have the same values;
b) have negative values;
c) unequal values;
d) opposite meanings.
a) income inequality in society;
b) similarities between family incomes;
c) comparability of family incomes;
d) equality of income in society.
8. Standard of living is determined by:
a) current income, accumulated material property;
b) the number of social services provided free of charge;
c) a system of minimum consumer budgets - physiological, subsistence and social minimums;
d) all answers are correct.
9. The objects of social policy are:
a) living and working conditions of a person;
b) intergroup and interpersonal relations;
c) social structure;
d) all answers are correct.
10. Social policy is carried out by the state using various but interrelated mechanisms determined during its formation, namely:
1) legislative and regulatory framework;
2) tax levers and incentives;
3) administrative decisions;
4) financial and credit mechanism.
11. The set of long-term and medium-term goals for the development of society in the field of the level and quality of life of the population is:
a) social policy;
b) social strategy;
c) social tactics;
d) economic policy.
12. Absolute poverty is:
a) the level of per capita income in the household, at which the subsistence level or other indicator that is used to assess the standard of living is not achieved;
b) the level of per capita income in the household is insufficient according to the household’s own assessment;
c) the level of per capita income in the household is below the average for the region or other continuum that is used to calculate the average
d) all answers are correct.
13. The subsistence minimum for the Russian Federation as a whole is intended for:
a) assessing the standard of living of the population of the Russian Federation in the development and implementation of social policy and federal social programs;
b) justification for the minimum wage and minimum old-age pension established at the federal level, as well as for determining the amount of scholarships, allowances and other social benefits;
c) formation of the federal budget.
d) all answers are correct.
14. In general, for the Russian Federation and in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the cost of living is determined:
a) is established annually by the Government of the Russian Federation;
b) at least once every five years on the basis of methodological recommendations developed with the participation of all-Russian trade union associations, in the manner established by the Government of the Russian Federation;
c) quarterly based on the consumer basket and data from the State Committee of the Russian Federation on Statistics on the level of consumer prices for food, non-food goods and services and expenses for mandatory payments and fees;
d) there is no correct answer.
15. The main areas of social protection of the population do not include:
a) social protection of children, childhood and adolescence;
b) social protection of pensioners;
c) social protection of disabled citizens;
d) social protection of the family.
16. Which of the following does not apply to the basic principles of developing state policy on the labor market in countries with market economies:
a) recognition of a person’s property right to his ability to perform productive and creative work;
b) the responsibility of the state for ensuring full employment of the population (providing everyone who wants to work with a job);
c) the availability of state guarantees in the field of promoting the employment of citizens and material support for persons recognized as unemployed in the prescribed manner;
d) all answers are correct.
17. The social policy budget is a complex formation and consists of:
a) consolidated state budget;
b) employer funds;
c) household budgets;
d) all answers are correct.
18. Model of state paternalism:
d) there is no correct answer.
19. Liberal model of social policy:
a) is focused on the state’s determination of qualitative (ideology) and quantitative (social sphere) parameters of all forms of relations in society without exception and the elimination of alternative types of these relations;
b) is based on the postulate of dividing members of society into economically strong and economically weak;
c) assumes that in cases of extreme (force majeure) situations due to natural (earthquakes, floods, etc.) or man-made causes (accidents, terrorist attacks, etc.), assistance from the state budget is provided to all households without exception, regardless of their income level.
d) there is no correct answer.
20. The economic effect of social policy is:
a) the ratio of the costs of social policy to the result (social effect) that was caused by these costs;
b) the difference between the result of social policy (social effect), expressed in monetary units, and the costs that ensured this result;
c) the difference between indicators characterizing the state of the social sphere for the final and initial (base) periods of time;
d) the ratio of the social effect of social policy to the indicator characterizing the state of the social sphere in the initial (base) period of time.
Practical tasks
Are the following statements true (yes or no)?
1. One of the objectives of social policy is to improve the working and living conditions of people.
2. Social policy does not take into account the material interests of members of society.
3. Increased efficiency economic activity workers is the main social function of economic policy.
4. Low personal income exists because the economy is in a recession.
5. Ethnicity determines income differentiation in modern Russia.
6. Government income policy in countries with market economies is aimed at redistributing income through a system of taxes and social transfers.
7. Protecting the health of the country's population is one of the principles of social policy.
Examples of problem solving
Problem 1
A full-time employee of Vega LLC has a monthly income of 7 thousand rubles. An application has been submitted to the accounting department regarding the presence of two children under the age of 18. Calculate the amount of monthly deductions and the amount of personal income tax.
Solution
For a visual representation, let’s summarize all the data in table 35 and enter the amount of monthly income, indicating the size standard deductions, rub.:
Table 35
| Month | Monthly income | Standard tax deduction | Standard Child Tax Credit | The tax base |
| January | 7 000 | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 4 600 | |
| February | 7 000 | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 4 600 | |
| March | 7 000 | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 4 600 | |
| April | 7 000 | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 4 600 | |
| May | 7 000 | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 4 600 | |
| June | 7 000 | – | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 5 000 |
| July | 7 000 | – | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 5 000 |
| August | 7 000 | – | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 5 000 |
| September | 7 000 | – | 2 ∙ 1 000 = 2 000 | 5 000 |
End of table. 35
Standard tax deduction per employee in the amount of 400 rubles. is deducted monthly from the income received until the month until the total income from the beginning of the year reaches 40 thousand rubles. The standard tax deduction for one child is 1000 rubles. until the month until total income reaches 280 thousand rubles. As the calculations in the table show, the standard tax deduction for an employee was valid until May inclusive, and for children - throughout the year. Let us determine the amount of personal income tax for the year:
58,000 rub. ∙ 13% / 100% = 7,540 rub.
Problem 2
Let's assume that in a certain country the employee's salary is 130 thousand den. units If the tax base for an employee, the cumulative total from the beginning of the year is up to 100 thousand. units, then the tax rate on social Security is 35%. If this tax base is in the range from 100 to 300 thousand den. units, then the tax rate is 20%. Determine the amount of social tax for an employee in a given country and the share of the tax in the employee’s income.
Solution
Tax on income of 100 thousand den. units equal to 0.35 ∙ 100 = 35 thousand den. units The employee’s salary exceeds the threshold of 100 thousand den. units for 30 thousand den. units The tax on this amount is 0.2 ∙ 30 = 6 thousand den. units Therefore, the amount of social tax is equal to: 35 + 6 = 41 thousand den. units The tax to income ratio is:
41 / 130 = 0,315 (31,5%).
Problem 3
The total salary for the current month was 150 thousand rubles. Calculate the amount of contributions in Pension Fund Russia, federal budget, Social Insurance Fund, Federal Mandatory Fund health insurance and the Territorial Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund.
Solution
1. Let us determine the amount of contributions to the Pension Fund of Russia for the insurance part of the labor pension: 150 thousand rubles. ∙ 10% = 15 thousand rubles.
2. Let us determine the amount of contributions to the Pension Fund of Russia for the funded part of the labor pension: 150 thousand rubles. ∙ 4% = 6 thousand rubles.
3. Let’s determine the amount of contributions to the federal budget: 150 thousand rubles. ∙ 20% = 30 thousand rubles.
4. Let’s determine the amount of contributions to the Social Insurance Fund: 150 thousand rubles. ∙ 2.9% = 4350 rub.
5. Determine the amount of contributions to Federal Fund compulsory health insurance: 150 thousand rubles. ∙ 1.1% = 1650 rub.
6. Let’s determine the amount of contributions to the Territorial Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund: 150 thousand rubles. ∙ 2% = 3 thousand rubles.
Problem 4
Using data from two countries, determine the human development index for each of them, compare the results and formulate conclusions about the relationship between the living standards of these countries.
Table 36
Solution
The Human Development Index (HDI) serves as an integral general indicator of the standard of living of the population, developed by specialists from the UN Development Program. The HDI is a composite index that includes three indicators that reflect the most important aspects standard of living: life expectancy at birth, achieved level of education and real GDP per capita in US dollars at purchasing power parity. The HDI is determined by the formula of the arithmetic average of the indices of the three indicated indicators:
I RFI = (I LE + I DUO + I GDP) / 3.
The index of each indicator is calculated using the formula:
where X fact, X min, X max are the actual, minimum and maximum values of the i-th indicator, respectively.
To calculate the life expectancy index at birth minimum value is taken equal to 25 years, and the maximum is 85 years:
Therefore, for country A:
For country B:
The index of the achieved level of education is calculated as the arithmetic mean of two subindices: the literacy index among the adult population i 1 (aged 15 years and older) with a weight of 2/3 and the index of the total share of primary, secondary and higher students educational institutions i 2 (for persons under 24 years old) with a weight of 1/3:
When calculating literacy indices, X min is taken equal to zero, and X max = 100%.
Thus, for country A:
For country B:
When calculating the index of real GDP per capita, X min is taken equal to $100, X max = $40,000.
For country A:
For country B:
As a result, for country A:
For country B:
The closer the HDI value is to one, the higher the degree of human development in the country. As calculations show, in country A the quality of life is higher than in country B, although it is significantly lower than the optimal value.
Problem 5
Daily wage – 120 rubles. The working day is 8 hours. Determine how the price of 1 hour of labor will change if the working day increases to 10 hours and the time wage increases to 130 rubles. per day; labor intensity will increase by 10%, and wages - by 5%. What is the “price of an hour of labor”?
Solution
Initially, the price of an hour of labor was 15 rubles. (120 / 8). With an increase in working hours from 8 to 10 hours and an increase in time wages to 130 rubles. the price of 1 hour of labor will drop to 13 rubles. (130/10).
To analyze the dynamics of wages under the influence of an increase in labor intensity, we must remember that labor intensity acts as a hidden form of lengthening the working day by the same amount (10%). Therefore, an increase in labor intensity by 10% is equivalent to lengthening the working day to 8.8 hours (8 + 8 ∙ 0.01). At the same time, the daily wage increased to 126 rubles. (120 + 120 ∙ 0.05). Therefore, under the influence of an increase in labor intensity by 10% and an increase in wages by 5%, the price of an hour of labor decreased from 15 to 14.32 (126 / 8.8).
The price of an hour of labor is a special form of expressing the cost of labor, which is introduced to determine the actual amount of time wages.
Tasks
1. The average salary last year was 3,000 rubles, and this year it increased to 4,000 rubles. At the same time, inflation last year was 18%, and this year it has decreased to 14%. Determine how real wages have changed over the years.
2. Using data from two countries, determine the human development index for each of them, compare the results and formulate conclusions about the relationship between the living standards of these countries.
Table 37
3. Nominal wages of public sector workers in a hypothetical country have increased by 910% over 10 years. Average pace price growth over the same period amounted to 50% per year. Determine the real wage index for public sector workers.
4. In the conditional economic system V previous year 150 trillion den worth of food was consumed. units, and durable goods by 110 trillion den. units This year, the volumes of consumption of these goods amounted to 161 and 117 trillion den. units respectively. Prices this year have increased for food products by 103%, for durable goods by 105%. Determine the index of general price growth in this economic system.
5. In modern economically developed countries, social support of the population plays an important role. Let’s imagine that your student group has received an order from government agencies to develop and conduct a survey “Do you need social support state?
Jointly develop a questionnaire for a mini-survey (10-12 questions), including questions that reveal the needs of households for specific types of government social assistance. After filling out the questionnaires, carry out collective processing of the questionnaires and give individual meaningful comments on the results obtained.
6. Look at the diagram shown in the figure and answer a few questions.
Rice. 10. Income distribution scheme
a) What process is shown in this diagram?
b) What micro-sections can this process be divided into?
c) Map these micro-sections and formulate standards (benchmarks) through which this process can be measured and interpreted.
7. Let's assume that the top 20% of families have 4.6% of the country's national income. The share of the next 20% of families is 10.8%. The third 20% of families have 16.9% of income. The fourth group of families, constituting 20% of the population, consumes 24% of income. Finally, the remaining 20% of families account for 43.7% of national income. Construct a Lorenz curve and use it to determine the Gini coefficient.
8. According to international analysts, there is a close direct connection between the rate of economic growth of a country and its success in the fight against poverty. Economists studying market economy, usually assume that people's average propensity to save income for future consumption increases as their income increases. And vice versa than poorer people, the less they can afford to worry about their future and save. The same pattern can usually be traced in the economic behavior of private firms or even governments. It is therefore not surprising that in poorer countries, where most of the income is spent on meeting current, often urgent, needs, the overall level of national savings tends to be lower. Low level gross domestic savings hinders the growth of gross domestic investment, and without additional investment it is impossible to increase the efficiency of the economy and increase income. This closes the “vicious circle of poverty.”
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Rice. 11. "Vicious circle of poverty"
Look at the diagram shown in the figure and answer the questions:
1. Does this mean that poor countries are forever doomed to live in this vicious circle?
9. In a conventional economic system there are 8 households, and the income of the i-th household can be expressed by the equation 20 + 3·i. Determine the quartile ratio.
10. Determine the social and economic efficiency of the employment policy implemented in a conditional country, if it is known that the number of unemployed people removed from the register for all reasons during the year amounted to 500 thousand people, the number of unemployed people at the beginning of the next year was 5 million people, and Budget expenditures of the state employment fund amounted to 5 billion den. units
Note
Calculation of the social effectiveness of employment policy can be made using the following formula:
SEPZ = ChBSU/ChBk,
where SEPZ is the social efficiency of employment policy in a certain calendar period; ChBSU – the number of unemployed people deregistered for all reasons during the calendar period, people; ChBk – number of unemployed at the end of the period, people.
The economic efficiency of government employment policies can be calculated in two ways.
In the first method of calculation, specific (per unit of social efficiency of employment policy) expenditures of the employment policy budget are determined:
EEPZse = RGFZN/SEPZ,
where EEPZse is the economic efficiency of employment policy (in terms of social efficiency) in a certain calendar period, den. unit../unit social efficiency; RGFZN - GFZN budget expenses for the same calendar period, den. units
The second way to assess the economic efficiency of state employment policy involves using a more traditional indicator of annual budget expenditures of the employment policy per unemployed person removed from the register during the reporting period. In this case, the formula for calculating the economic efficiency of employment policy is as follows:
EEPZbsu = RGFZN/ChBSU,
where EEPZbsu is the economic efficiency of employment policy (based on the number of unemployed people removed from the register), den. units/person
As is the case with the indicator of economic efficiency of employment policy (in terms of its social efficiency), the greater the expenditure of SFZN funds, the lower the economic efficiency of employment policy.
Tasks for independent work
Main trends in the formation and distribution of personal income of the population and the evolution of the social structure of society.
Poverty alleviation programs in different countries.
Distribution of income between families. Poverty and wealth line.
Absolute and relative poverty, physical poverty.
Genesis and evolution of the social protection system.
Household as an object of economic and social policy.
The concept of a socially oriented market. Development and implications of application in different countries.