In: Economics
Suppose the U.S. has a closed economy with GDP (Y) equal to $19.4 trillion, consumption (C) equal to $12.4 trillion, government spending (G) equal to $3.4 trillion, transfer payments (TR) equal to $1.6 trillion, and taxes (T) equal to $4.7 trillion. Suppose the government increases its spending on national defense such that government spending increases by $0.2 trillion. What must happen to total savings (S)? That is, what is the dollar amount by which total savings changes? Assume the values for GDP, consumption, taxes, and transfer payments do not change. Provide your answer in trillions of dollars rounded to one decimal place.
GDP(Y) = $19.4 trillion
Consumption(C) = $12.4 trillion
Government spending (G) = $3.4 trillion
Transfer payment (TR) = $1.6 trillion
Taxes (T) = $4.7 trillion
Calculate the private saving -
Private saving = Y + TR - C - T
Private saving = $19.4 trillion + $1.6 trillion - $12.4 trillion - $4.7 trillion
Private saving = $3.9 trillion
The private saving is $3.9 trillion
Calculate the public saving -
Public saving = T - G - TR
Public saving = $4.7 trillion - $3.4 trillion - $1.6 trillion = -$0.3 trillion
The public saving is $ -0.3 trillion.
Calculate the Total Saving -
Total saving = Private saving + Public saving = $3.9 trillion - $0.3 trillion = $3.6 trillion
The total savings is $3.6 trillion.
Now, the government spending increases by $0.2 trillion.
New government spending = $3.4 trillion + $0.2 trillion = $3.6 trillion
Calculate the new level of public saving -
New level of public saving = T - G - TR = $4.7 trillion - $3.6 trillion - $1.6 trillion = -$0.5 trillion
The new level of public saving is -$0.5 trillion.
Calculate the new level of total savings -
New level of total savings = Private savings + New level of public saving = $3.9 trillion - $0.5 trillion = $3.4 trillion
The new level of total savings is $3.4 trillion.
Calculate the change in total savings -
Change = New level of total savings - Initial total savings
Change = $3.4 trillion - $3.6 trillion = -$0.2 trillion
The change in total savings is -$0.2 trillion.
This means that total savings has decreased by $0.2 trillion.