Which of the following is/are correct with regard to Gross domestic p...
- Gross Domestic Product is the sum total of value of goods and services created within the geographical boundary of a country in a particular year. It gets distributed among the people as incomes (except for retained earnings). Hence, statement 1 is correct.
- If the GDP of the country is rising, the welfare may not rise as a consequence. This is because the rise in GDP may be concentrated in the hands of very few individuals or firms. For the rest, the income may in fact have fallen. In such a case the welfare of the entire country cannot be said to have increased. For example, suppose in year 2000, an imaginary country had 100 individuals each earning Rs 10. Therefore the GDP of the country was Rs 1,000 (by income method). In 2001, let us suppose the same country had 90 individuals earning Rs 9 each, and the rest 10 individual earning Rs 20 each. Suppose there had been no change in the prices of goods and services between these two periods. The GDP of the country in the year 2001 was 90 × (Rs 9) + 10 × (Rs 20) = Rs 810 + Rs 200 = Rs 1,010. Observe that compared to 2000, the GDP of the country in 2001 was higher by Rs10. But this has happened when 90 per cent of people of the country have seen a drop in their real income by 10 per cent (from Rs 10 to Rs 9), whereas only 10 per cent have benefited by a rise in their income by 100 per cent (from Rs 10 to Rs 20). 90 per cent of the people are worse off though the GDP of the country has gone up. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
- Many activities in an economy are not evaluated in monetary terms. For example, the domestic services women perform at home are not paid for. The exchanges which take place in the informal sector without the help of money are called barter exchanges. In barter exchanges goods (or services) are directly exchanged against each other. But since money is not being used here, these exchanges are not registered as part of economic activity. In developing countries, where many remote regions are underdeveloped, these kinds of exchanges do take place, but they are generally not counted in the GDPs of these countries. This is a case of underestimation of GDP. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Which of the following is/are correct with regard to Gross domestic p...
Explanation:
1. It is the sum total of the value of goods and services created within the geographical boundary of a country in a particular year:
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures the total economic output within a country's borders over a specific period, usually a year.
- It includes the value of all goods and services produced in the country, including those produced by foreign-owned companies within the country's borders.
2. Non-monetary exchanges such as barter exchange are not included in the GDP estimation:
- GDP only considers monetary transactions, where goods and services are exchanged for money.
- Barter exchanges, where goods are exchanged directly for other goods without involving money, are not included in GDP calculations.
3. A rise in GDP indicates that all the residents of the country are better off today than in the past:
- While GDP growth is generally seen as a positive indicator of economic health, it does not necessarily mean that all residents of the country are better off.
- GDP growth could be driven by factors such as increased government spending or investment, which may not directly benefit all residents.
- Inequality within a country can also mean that GDP growth does not necessarily translate to improved living standards for all residents.
Therefore, the correct statement is option 'C', as it correctly identifies the components and limitations of GDP as a measure of economic activity.
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