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Gross Domestic Product And Gross National Income

Decent Essays

M2A2: National Income Accounting/

Gross Domestic Product and Gross National Income

Samantha Montero & Renee Scott

After reading Economics: Principles and Tools, we understand that one is able to

measure the production of the entire economy by a tool known as the Gross Domestic Product

(GDP). GDP is defined as the total market value of all final goods and services, produced within

a country.1 It summarizes the entire production of an economy into a single number (GDP) and it

gauge 's a country standard of living. Throughout this essay we will aim to explain both the main

components of GDP and it’s differences from other forms of economic measurements, as well as

touch upon it’s deficiencies as a measure of welfare. We will …show more content…

1 OʼSullivan, Arthur, and Steven M. Sheffrin. Economics: Principles and Tools. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River,

NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. Print.

2

GDP, on top of having several different components, has a few different ways in which it

measures output. Two different measurements that are widely used are Nominal GDP and Real

GDP. The main difference between nominal GDP and real GDP is that nominal GDP doesn 't

adjust for inflation and real GDP does. 2 While real GDP is adjusted for differences in price

levels, nominal GDP when calculated is not and, as a result, will often appear higher and can be

misleading. With measurements that require adjustments, one will always encounter

discrepancies. Gross domestic input or GDI measures the sum of all income earned while

producing goods and services within a nation 's borders. 3 The difference between GDI and GDP

is that GDI calculates economic activity based on income, and GDP calculates economic activity

based on spending. While they are similar, the two measurements use different methods to gauge

the economy and thus, the data collected by GDP and GDI will almost never be the same.

According to Dr. Marilyn Waring in the film Who is Counting?4 As long as activity

passes through the market, it is good for growth. In the film Dr. Waring discusses the major

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