Long-Run Self-Adjustment

Classical theory of economics

  • It argues that prices and wages are completely flexible: this would look like a vertical AS curve (no SRAS or LRAS), and changes in AD are going to have automatically adjusted prices and wages.

  • With long-run self-adjustment, businesses and workers adjust their prices and wages to bring back equilibrium

  • The LRAS does not move in the self-adjustment scenarios -only with changes in land, labor, capital and tech.

  • If the AD curve exceeds the equilibrium point, the SRAS curve will shift left, to bring it back to the LRAS, but at a higher PL

Stabilizing recession

  • In a recession, an economy is operating at an output below full capacity.

  • Workers may accept lower wages due to lay offs and having to make a living.

  • Businesses are not selling as much, so they may decrease prices

  • When they both happen, SRAS increases, resulting in a decrease in inflation and unemployment.

Stabilizing Inflation

  • An inflationary gap is when the economy is overreaching, and is beyond capacity

  • When workers are working more they get paid more

  • Businesses will see a big demand for goods and increase their prices

  • Increases in prices and wages will shift SRAS to the left, increasing inflation, and unemployment