The United States is a mature market economy with the biggest nominal GDP and net wealth in the world. After China, it has the second-largest purchasing power parity (PPP) economy. In 2021, it had the ninth highest nominal per capita GDP and the fifteenth highest PPP per capita GDP in the world. The United States possesses the world’s most technologically advanced and innovative economy. Its companies are on the cutting edge of technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence, computers, pharmaceuticals, and medical, aerospace, and military technology. The United States dollar is the most widely used currency in international transactions and the world’s most important reserve currency, supported by its economy, military, petrodollar system, and enormous U.S. treasury market. It is the official money of certain countries and the de facto currency of others. China, the European Union, Canada, Mexico, India, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan are the top trading partners of the United States. The United States is the world’s top importer and exporter. It has free trade agreements in place or in the works with a number of nations, including the USMCA, Australia, South Korea, Switzerland, Israel, and others.
Natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity drive the economy of the country. With a total estimated value of Int$45 billion, it is the seventh most valuable country in terms of natural resources.
Why is the GDP of the United States so high?
The United States produces more per person each year than the majority of other sophisticated economies. In 2015, the United States’ real GDP per capita was $56,000. Adjusting for purchasing power, Germany’s actual GDP per capita in that year was only $47,000, France and the United Kingdom’s was $41,000, and Italy’s was only $36,000.
I can think of ten characteristics that set America apart from other industrial economies, which I detail in a recent essay for the National Bureau of Economic Research, which this piece is based on.
A culture of entrepreneurship. Individuals in the United States express a desire to create and expand enterprises, as well as a readiness to take risks. In American culture, there is less stigma attached to failing and beginning over. Even students who have attended college or a business school demonstrate this entrepreneurial drive, which is self-reinforcing: Silicon Valley successes such as Facebook inspire further entrepreneurship.
A financial framework that encourages self-employment. The United States has a more developed equity financing system than Europe, with angel investors prepared to fund companies and a very active venture capital market to aid in the expansion of those businesses. We also have a decentralized financial system that gives loans to entrepreneurs, with over 7,000 local banks.
Universities with a reputation for excellence in research. Much of the basic research that fuels high-tech entrepreneurship comes from universities in the United States. Faculty and doctoral grads frequently spend time with adjacent companies, and the cultures of both universities and businesses encourage this collaboration. Top research universities attract bright students from all over the world, and many of them choose to stay in the United States.
Large trade unions, state-owned firms, and extremely rigid labor regulations do not obstruct labor markets in general. There are only about 7% of private-sector workers in the United States who are unionized, and there are essentially no state-owned businesses. While working conditions and employment are regulated in the United States, the regulations are far less onerous than in Europe. As a result, workers have a higher chance of finding the perfect employment, businesses have an easier time innovating, and new businesses have an easier time getting off the ground.
A rising population, owing in part to immigration. The aging of America’s population means a younger workforce that is more adaptable and trainable. Although there are restrictions on immigration to the United States, there are also unique rules that allow individuals with exceptional skill and industry sponsorship to have entry to the American economy and a path to citizenship (green cards). A separate “green card lottery” allows persons who want to immigrate to the United States to do so. The ability of the country to recruit immigrants has been a key factor in its growth.
A culture (as well as a tax system) that promotes long hours and hard effort. The average American employee works 1,800 hours per year, which is much more than the 1,500 hours worked in France and 1,400 hours in Germany (albeit not as much as the 2,200+ hours worked in Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea). Working longer generally implies generating more, which translates to better actual incomes.
A source of energy that allows North America to be energy self-sufficient. Natural gas fracking, in particular, has offered abundant and relatively inexpensive energy to American enterprises.
A regulatory environment that is beneficial. Despite the fact that US laws are far from ideal, they are less onerous for firms than those imposed by European countries and the European Union.
Government is smaller than in other industrial countries. According to the OECD, federal, state, and local government spending in the United States reached 38 percent of GDP, compared to 44 percent in Germany, 51 percent in Italy, and 57 percent in France. In some nations, increased government expenditure entails not just a bigger share of income received in taxes, but also higher transfer payments, which weaken labor incentives. It’s no surprise that Americans work a lot because they have an added incentive.
States compete under a decentralized political system. State competition stimulates entrepreneurship and work, and states compete with their legal laws and tax regimes for firms and individual people. There are no income taxes in some states, and labor regulations restrict unionization. In-state students have access to high-quality universities with inexpensive tuition. They also compete in terms of legal liability rules. Both fresh entrepreneurs and huge corporations are attracted to the legal systems. In terms of political decentralization, the United States is arguably unusual among high-income countries.
Will America be able to sustain its advantages? Joseph Schumpeter predicted that capitalism would decline and fail in his 1942 book, Socialism, Capitalism, and Democracy, because the political and intellectual climate required for capitalism to thrive would be weakened by capitalism’s success and intellectual critique. He believed that social democratic parties would construct a welfare state that would stifle enterprise if they were elected by the people.
Despite the fact that Schumpeter’s book was published more than 20 years after he emigrated from Europe to the United States, his warning appears to be more relevant to Europe now than to the United States. In the United States, the welfare state has grown, although at a far slower rate than in Europe. Furthermore, the intellectual milieu in the United States is far more pro-capitalist.
If Schumpeter were alive today, he may refer to the rise of social democratic parties in Europe, as well as the extension of the welfare state that has resulted, as reasons why Europe’s industrial countries have not had the same robust economic growth as the United States.
What are three factors that contribute to a high GDP?
A rise in aggregate demand drives economic growth in the short run (AD). If the economy has spare capacity, an increase in AD will result in a higher level of real GDP.
Factors which affect AD
- Lower interest rates – Lower interest rates lower borrowing costs, which encourages consumers to spend and businesses to invest. Lower interest rates cut mortgage payments, increasing consumers’ discretionary income.
- Wages have been raised. Increased real wages enhance disposable income, which encourages consumers to spend.
- Greater government expenditure (G), such as government investments in new roads or increased spending on welfare payments, both of which enhance disposable income.
- Devaluation. A decrease in the value of the currency rate (for example, the Pound Sterling) lowers the cost of exports and increases the volume of exports (X). Imports become more expensive as a result of depreciation, lowering the quantity of imports and making domestic goods more appealing.
- Confidence. Households with higher consumer confidence are more likely to spend, either by depleting their savings or taking out more personal credit. It encourages spending by allowing increased spending (C) (C).
- Reduced taxation. Consumers’ disposable income will increase as a result of lower income taxes, which will lead to increased expenditure (C).
- House prices are increasing. A rise in housing prices results in a positive wealth effect. Homeowners who see their property value rise will be more willing to spend (remortgaging house if necessary)
- Financial stability is important. Firms will be more eager to invest if there is financial stability and banks are willing to lend, and investment will enhance aggregate demand.
Long-term economic growth
This necessitates an increase in both AD and long-run aggregate supply (productive capacity).
- Capital increase. Investment in new manufacturing or infrastructure, such as roads and telephones, are examples.
- Increased labor productivity as a result of improved education and training, as well as enhanced technology.
- New raw materials are being discovered. Finding oil reserves, for example, will boost national output.
- Microcomputers and the internet, for example, have both led to higher economic growth through improving capital and labor productivity. New technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), which allows robots to take the place of human workers, may be the source of future economic growth.
Other factors affecting economic growth
- Stability in the economy and politics. Stability is vital for convincing businesses that investing in capacity expansion is a sensible decision. When there is a surge in uncertainty, confidence tends to diminish, which can cause businesses to postpone investment.
- Inflation is low. Low inflation creates a favorable environment for business investment. Volatility is exacerbated by high inflation.
Periods of economic growth in UK
The United Kingdom saw substantial economic expansion in the 1980s, owing to a number of factors.
- Reduced income taxes increase disposable income, which leads to increased expenditure and, in turn, stimulates corporate investment.
- House prices rose, resulting in a positive wealth effect, equity withdrawal, and increased consumer spending.
What does an increase in GDP imply?
- The gross domestic product (GDP) is the total monetary worth of all products and services exchanged in a given economy.
- GDP growth signifies economic strength, whereas GDP decline indicates economic weakness.
- When GDP is derived through economic devastation, such as a car accident or a natural disaster, rather than truly productive activity, it can provide misleading information.
- By integrating more variables in the calculation, the Genuine Progress Indicator aims to enhance GDP.
What causes GDP to rise?
The external balance of trade is the most essential of all the components that make up a country’s GDP. When the total value of products and services sold by local producers to foreign countries surpasses the total value of foreign goods and services purchased by domestic consumers, a country’s GDP rises. A country is said to have a trade surplus when this happens.
What can we learn about the economy from GDP?
GDP is a measure of the size and health of our economy as a whole. GDP is the total market value (gross) of all (domestic) goods and services produced in a particular year in the United States.
GDP tells us whether the economy is expanding by creating more goods and services or declining by producing less output when compared to previous times. It also shows how the US economy compares to other economies across the world.
GDP is frequently expressed as a percentage since economic growth rates are regularly tracked. In most cases, reported rates are based on “real GDP,” which has been adjusted to remove the impacts of inflation.
What information does GDP provide about the economy?
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is not a measure of wealth “wealth” in any way. It is a monetary indicator. It’s a relic of the past “The value of products and services produced in a certain period in the past is measured by the “flow” metric. It says nothing about whether you’ll be able to produce the same quantity next year. You’ll need a balance sheet for that, which is a measure of wealth. Both balance sheets and income statements are used by businesses. Nations, however, do not.
Why is a high GDP beneficial?
GDP is essential since it delivers information on the size of the economy and how an economy is performing. The pace of increase in real GDP is frequently used as a gauge of the economy’s overall health. An increase in real GDP is viewed as a sign that the economy is performing well in general.
What are the benefits of a high GDP for businesses?
More employment are likely to be created as GDP rises, and workers are more likely to receive higher wage raises. When GDP falls, the economy shrinks, which is terrible news for businesses and people.
What impact does GDP have on the economy?
- It indicates the total value of all commodities and services produced inside a country’s borders over a given time period.
- Economists can use GDP to evaluate if a country’s economy is expanding or contracting.
- GDP can be used by investors to make investment decisions; a weak economy means lower earnings and stock values.
Why does per capita GDP rise?
GDP per capita is a measure of a country’s economic output divided by the number of people living there. Rich countries with low populations often have higher GDP per capita. When you do the arithmetic, you’ll see that wealth is distributed more evenly among fewer people, which raises a country’s GDP.