INTRODUCTION

Any discussion on a subject must start by explaining what the subject is all about i.e., by defining the
subject. In this chapter, we shall define Economics. The questions which Economics actually
discusses will then be taken up in the subsequent chapters.

The principal fact about Economics that we must always remember is that it is a social science.
If we forget this, we tend to get bogged down with questions that are not relevant to Economics and
are best left to other disciplines.

MEANING OF ECONOMICS

The word ‘Economics’ originates from the Greek work ‘Oikonomikos’ which can be divided into two
parts:

(a) ‘Oikos’, which means ‘Home’, and

(b) ‘Nomos’, which means ‘Management’.
Thus, Economics means ‘Home Management’. The head of a family faces the problem of
managing the unlimited wants of the family members within the limited income of the family. In fact,
the same is true for a society also. If we consider the whole society as a ‘family’, then the society also
faces the problem of tackling unlimited wants of the members of the society with the limited resources
available in that society. Thus, Economics means the study of the way in which mankind organises
itself to tackle the basic problems of scarcity. All societies have more wants than resources. Hence, a
system must be devised to allocate these resources between competing ends.

DEFINITIONS OF ECONOMICS

We have now formed an idea about the meaning of Economics. This at once leads to a general
definition of Economics. Economics is the social science that studies economic activities.

This definition is, however, too broad. It does not specify the exact manner in which the
economic activities are to be studied. Economic activities essentially mean production, exchange and
consumption of goods and services. However, with the progress of civilisation, the complexity of the
production, exchange and consumption processes in society have increased manifold. Economists at
different times have emphasised different aspects of economic activities, and have arrived at different
definitions of Economics. We shall now discuss some of these definitions in detail.

These definitions can be classified into four groups:

1. Wealth definitions,

2. Material welfare definitions,

3. Scarcity definitions, and

4. Growth-centered definitions.
Adam Smith’s Definition

Economics as a science evolved in 1776 when Adam Smith published his famous book, “An Inquiry
into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.”. Actually Economics was called “Political
Economy” at that time and it continued up to middle of nineteenth century. The subject started to be
recognized as “Economics” in the late nineteenth century.
Adam Smith, considered to be the founding father of modern Economics, defined Economics as the
study of the nature and causes of nations’ wealth or simply as the study of wealth.

The central point in Smith’s definition is wealth creation. Implicitly, Smith identified wealth
with welfare. He assumed that, the wealthier a nation becomes the happier are its citizens. Thus, it is
important to find out, how a nation can be wealthy. Economics is the subject that tells us how to make
a nation wealthy. Adam Smith’s definition is a wealth-centered definition of Economics.

Alfred Marshall’s Definition

Alfred Marshall also stressed the importance of wealth. But he also emphasised the role of the
individual in the creation and the use of wealth. He wrote: “Economics is a study of man in the
ordinary business of life. It enquires how he gets his income and how he uses it. Thus, it is on the
one side, the study of wealth and on the other and more important side, a part of the study of man”.
Marshall, therefore, stressed the supreme importance of man in the economic system. Marshall’s
definition is considered to be material-welfare centered definition of Economics.

Lionel Robbins’ Definition

The next important definition of Economics was due to Prof. Lionel Robbins. In his book ‘Essays on
the Nature and Significance of the Economic Science’, published in 1932, Robbins gave a definition
which has become one of the most popular definitions of Economics. According to Robbins,
“Economics is a science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce
means which have alternative uses”. A long line of economists after Robbins, including Scitovsky
and Cassel agreed with this definition and carried on their analysis in line with this definition. It is a
scarcity-based definition of Economics.

Modern Growth-Oriented Definition of Samuelson

In relatively recent times, more comprehensive definitions of Economics have been offered. Thus,
Professor Samuelson writes, “Economics is the study of how people and society end up choosing,
with or without the use of money, to employ scarce productive resources that could have alternative
uses to produce various commodities over time and distributing them for consumption, now or in
the future, among various persons or groups in society. It analyses costs and benefits of improving
patterns of resource allocation”. A large number of modern economists subscribe to this broad
definition of Economics.

To put it summarily, the modern definition of Economics is the most comprehensive of all the
definitions. All the issues that were highlighted in the earlier definitions are included here.
BRANCHES OF ECONOMICS: NATURE OF ECONOMIC SCIENCE

Economic theory, as it stands today, has several branches. Of these, two are most important. These are
microeconomics and macroeconomics. These two terms were first coined and used by Ragnar Frisch.
The term microeconomics is derived from the Greek word mikros, meaning ‘small’ and the term
macroeconomics are derived from the Greek word makros, meaning ‘large’.

• When we are analyzing the problems of the economy as a whole it is macroeconomic study.
• While an analysis of the behavior of any particular decision- making unit, such as a firm and
industry, a consumer, constitutes micro economics. Micro- economics is also called Price
Theory and Macro-economics is called Income theory.

We shall now briefly mention the major features of these two branches to have an idea regarding the
nature of economics.

Microeconomics

Microeconomics is that branch of economics which is concerned with the decision-making of a single
unit of an economic system. How does an individual (or a family) decide on how much of various
commodities and services to consume? How does a business firm decide how much of its product (or
products) to produce? These are the typical questions discussed in microeconomics. Determination of
income, employment, etc. in the economic system as a whole is not the concern of microeconomics.
Thus, microeconomics can be defined as the study of economic decision-making by micro-units.

Macroeconomics

Macroeconomics is that branch of economics which is concerned with the economic magnitudes
relating to the economic system as a whole, rather than to the microeconomic units like individuals or
firms. It has, therefore, been called ‘aggregative economics’. In the picturesque language of Kenneth
Boulding, “Macroeconomics deals ... not with individual income but with national income, not with
individual prices but with the price level, not with individual outputs but with national output”.

Differences between Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

We can now indicate some of the important differences between Microeconomics and
Macroeconomics. This is shown in Table 1.1 and Chart 1.

Table 1.1: Differences between Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

SL Microeconomics Macroeconomics
No.
1 It is that branch of economics which deals It is that branch of economics which deals with
with the economic decision-making of aggregates and averages of the entire economy,
individual economic agents such as the e.g., aggregate output, national income,
producer, the consumer, etc. aggregate savings and investment, etc.
2 It takes into account small components of It takes into consideration the economy of any
 the whole economy. country as a whole.
3 It deals with the process of price- It deals with general price-level in any
determination in case of individual products economy.
and factors of production.
4 It is known as price theory (since it explains It is also known as the income theory (since it
the process of allocation of economic explains the changing levels of national
resources along alternative lines of income in any economy during any particular
production on the basis of relative prices of time period.)
various goods and services.)
5 It is concerned with the optimisation goals It is concerned with the optimisation of the
of individual consumers and producers (e.g., growth process of the entire economy.
individual consumers are utility-maximisers,
while individual producers are profit-
maximisers.)
6 It studies the flow of economic resources or It studies the circular flow of income and
factors of production from any individual expenditure between different sectors of the
owner of such resources to any individual economy (say, between the firm sector and the
user of these resources, etc. household sector.)
7 Microeconomic theories help us in Macroeconomic theories help us in
formulating appropriate policies for resource formulating appropriate policies for
allocation at the firm level. controlling inflation (i.e., rising price-level),
unemployment, etc.
8 It takes into account the aggregates over It takes into account the aggregates over
homogeneous or similar products (e.g., the heterogeneous or dissimilar products (say, the
supply of steel in an economy.) Gross Domestic Product of any country during
any year.)
BROAD SCOPE OF ECONOMICS

The scope of economics entails the identification of basic economic problems before any society and
find out different possible ways to solve those problems.

Major economic problems:

In view of the scarcity of means at our disposal and the multiplicity of ends we seek to
achieve, the economic problem lies in making the best possible use of our resources so as
to get the maximum satisfaction in the case of consumer and maximum output or profit
for a producer. Economic problem consists in making decision regarding the ends to be
pursued and goods to be produced and the means to be used for achievements of certain
ends.
From the definition of economic problem we can derive the following fundamentals
problems which an economy has to tackle.
(1) What to produce:
The very first question that any economic system must answer is: What goods and services are to be
produced in a society and in what quantities?

This question arises from the fact that human wants are unlimited, while resources are limited.
The satisfaction of human wants requires the consumption of goods and services. Human beings,
therefore, wish to consume goods and services. But, since resources are limited, the economic system
cannot produce all types of goods and services. Even any particular good or service cannot be
produced in an infinitely large quantity. Only finite amounts of a limited number of goods and services
can be produced. Therefore, there arises this decision problem. The economy must decide which
goods and services to produce and which goods and services to exclude from production.
The economy must choose its production plan carefully. Everything cannot be produced and
even those things which are produced cannot be produced in unlimited quantities.

It also implies the allocation of resources between the different types of goods e.g.
consumer goods and capital goods.

(2) How to produce:

The second basic problem that every economy must solve is that of deciding how to produce the goods
and services (that the economy has decided to produce). A particular quantity of a particular good or
service can be produced in many different ways. The economy must choose a particular way of
producing the specified amount of the good. Moreover, this must be done for each of the different
goods and services that the economy wants to produce.
Having the decided quantity and type of goods to be produced we must next determine
the techniques of production to be used e.g. labour intensive and capital intensive.
(3) For whom to produce:
Suppose now that the first two basic problems have been solved i.e., the economy has decided the
amounts of production of various goods and services and has also chosen the appropriate techniques
for producing them. There still remains the problem of deciding the manner in which the produced
goods and services will be used. That will, obviously, be used to satisfy human wants. But among the
members of society, who will receive how much of the produced commodities? In other words, after
the commodities have been produced, there remains the task of deciding how they will be distributed.
Who will get (to consume) the produced commodities? This is known as the question: ‘For whom to
produce? It is also known as the problem of distribution.
This means how the national product is to be distributed, i.e. who should get how much.
This is the problem of the sharing of the national product.
(4) Are the resources economically used? : This is the problem of economic efficiency
or welfare maximization. There is to be no waste or misuse of resources since they are
limited.
(5) Problem of full employment: Fullest possible use must be made of the available
resources. In other words, an economy must endeavor to achieve full employment not
only of labour but of all its resources.
(6) Problem of growth: Another problem for an economy is to make sure that it keeps on
expanding or developing so that it maintains conditions of stability. It is not to be static.
Its productive capacity must continue to increase. If it is an under-developed economy.
It must accelerate it process of growth.

Scope of economics: Scope mean sphere of study. We have to consider what economics
studies and what lies beyond it. The scope can be studies through 4 important parts.

a. Subject matter of economics.

b. Whether economics is a science or an art?
c. Whether economics is a social science?
d. If economics is science, whether it is positive science or normative science.

a. Subject matter of economics:

Economics has subject matter of its own. Economics studies, only one aspect of man’s
life and work. It only tells us how a man utilizes his limited resources for the satisfaction
of unlimited wants. He must spend the money and time to derive maximum satisfaction.
This is subject matter of economics.
Economic activities- If we look around we see that farmers, doctors, traders, teachers, etc.
do their work. They are all engaged in what is called an economic activity. We may say
that when man is engaged in economic activity, he is busy in earning money. He needs
money to satisfy his wants. A man wants food, clothes and shelter. To get these things he
must have money. To get money he must work or make an effort. Efforts lead to
satisfaction.

Thus wants, effort, satisfaction sum up the subject matter of economics. When one want
is satisfied another one crop up or some wants occur after some period of time and again
man has to satisfy that want he has to make some effort.

Thus, we can say that subject matter of economics is:

1. Consumption: It means the use of wealth to satisfy human wants. It also means the
destruction of utility or use of commodities and services to satisfy human wants.

2. Production: It is defined as the creation of utility. It involves the processes and

methods employed in transformation of tangible inputs (raw materials, semi-finished
goods, or subassemblies) and intangible inputs (ideas, information, know-how) into
goods or services.

3. Exchange: It implies the transfer of goods from one person to the other. It may occur
among individuals or countries. The exchange of goods leads to an increase in the
welfare of the individuals through creation of higher utilities for goods and services.

4. Distribution: Distribution refers to sharing of wealth that is produced among the

different factors of production. It refers to personal distribution and functional
distribution of income. Personal distribution relates to the forces governing the
 distribution of income and wealth among the various individuals of a country.
Functional distribution or factor share distribution explains the share of total income
received by each factor of production viz. land, labour, capital and organization.

b. Is economics a science?

Economics is not only a science but also an art. It is a science in its methodology and an
art in its application. It has a theoretical aspect and is also an applied science in its
practical aspects. Science is a systematized body of Knowledge. A branch of knowledge
becomes systematized when facts are collocated and analyzed to find out a relation
between cause and effect. It lays down general principles which help to explain things
and guide us. It is to be called science. E.g. Nitrogenous fertilizer increases rice field.

Economics is also an art which is also a systematized body of knowledge. An art lays
down percepts or formulae to guide people who wants to achieve a certain aim e.g.
removal of poverty, increase in rice production. It is also both an art and a science. Thus
scope of economics is very wide indeed.

It is now agreed that economics is a fully fledged science. In fact, it is in no way less than
other sciences.

c. Economics is a social science:

Economic is primarily a study of man and not of wealth but it does not study man who
has renounced the world. It studies human being but it does not study them as isolated
individuals living in forests or in mountain caves. It studies man living in organized
society, who live in society affecting society from their action and themselves exposed to
social influences economics has their to study social behavior, i.e., behavior of men in
groups. Exchanging his goods for those of others, influencing them by his action and
being influenced by them in turn. Thus, he depends on them and they depend on him.
Economics thus a social since as it is concerned with the behavior of an individual living
in a group.

d. Positive science or normative science:

In discussing the scope of economics, we have also to consider whether economics is a

positive or a normative science.

Positive science explains why and wherefore of things that means their causes and effect.
A normative science discusses the rightness or wrongness of the thing. Economics is both
a positive and a normative science, e.g. per capita income of a country is less and poor
persons are becoming poorer and rich persons becoming riches. Whether it is a good sign
or bad? If it is bad then what should be done, etc. So economics is positive as well as
normative science (what is and what ought to be).
A positive science only explains What is and normative science tells us what ought to be,
i.e., right and wring of a thing positive science describes, while normative science
evaluates, when we say, for instance, that the businessmen, while making decisions, use
profit maximization as the criterion it is positive economics, but, when we ask “ought
they use this criterion “, we enter the field of normative economics.

We have to consider whether economics can pass moral judgment (normative science) or
simply explain “why” of things (positive science). Economics is, therefore, both a
positive and a normative science.