This guide will help you remember important concepts of Economics in a simple and engaging way. Inside, you’ll find creative mnemonics that make it easier to recall key ideas such as the major economic sectors, economic systems, national income concepts, formulas, and global development models.
1. Three Main Economic Sectors
Mnemonic: "PST - Please Serve Tea"
Mnemonic Explanation: This helps recall the three main sectors in order:
- P → Primary Sector (agriculture, mining, natural resources)
- S → Secondary Sector (manufacturing, industrial)
- T → Tertiary Sector (services like banking, education, healthcare)
2. Additional Two Sectors (Sub-sectors of Tertiary)
Mnemonic: "QQ - Quality Questions"
Mnemonic Explanation: This helps recall the two additional sectors:
- Q (first) → Quaternary Sector (knowledge sector - education, R&D)
- Q (second) → Quinary Sector (top-level decision makers, 'brain' of economy)
3. Three Major Economic Systems
Mnemonic: "MNM - M&M candy"
Mnemonic Explanation: This helps recall the three major economic systems:
- M → Market Economy (capitalism, free market)
- N → Non-Market Economy (socialism, communism)
- M → Mixed Economy (combination of both)
4. Adam Smith's Four Key Ideas (Market Economy)
Mnemonic: "SDMC - Send Me Cash"
Mnemonic Explanation: This helps recall Adam Smith's key principles:
- S → Self-Interest (invisible hand)
- D → Division of Labour
- M → Market Forces (demand and supply)
- C → Competition (and hands-off government)
5. Three Components of Income from Abroad
Mnemonic: "PIE - Please Include Everything"
Mnemonic Explanation: This helps recall the three components:
- P → Private Remittances
- I → Interest on External Loans
- E → External Grants
6. Four Main National Income Concepts
Mnemonic: "GGNN - Good Girls Need Nothing"
Mnemonic Explanation: This helps recall the four main concepts:
- G (first) → GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
- G (second) → GNP (Gross National Product)
- N (first) → NDP (Net Domestic Product)
- N (second) → NNP (Net National Product)
Alternative Story: "GDP Grows, NDP Notes depreciation, GNP Goes abroad, NNP is the Neatest (purest)"
Mnemonic: "CIGT - Can I Get Tea?"
Mnemonic Explanation: This helps recall what makes up GDP:
- C → Consumption (national/private)
- I → Investment
- G → Government spending
- T → Trade balance (exports - imports)
Mnemonic Story: "Gross becomes Net by Losing weight (Depreciation), Domestic Goes Global by adding Income"
Formula Mnemonics:
- NDP = GDP - D → "Net = Gross Drop Depreciation"
- GNP = GDP - Income from Abroad → "Go Global, Plus income"
- NNP = GNP - D → "Neatest = Global Net Product"
- NNP = GDP + Income from Abroad - D → "Ultimate formula"
9. Ten Points of Washington Consensus
Mnemonic: "FFTIT-TLFPD"Story: "Fifteen Funny Tigers In Town - They Love Free Pizza Daily"
Mnemonic Explanation:This helps recall all 10 suggestions:
- F (First F) → Fiscal discipline
- F (Second F) → Focus on priorities (health, education, infrastructure)
- T (First T) → Tax reform
- I → Interest rate liberalization
- T (Second T) → Trade liberalization
- T (Third T) → "To" allow FDI (Foreign Direct Investment)
- L → Liberalization of FDI inflows
- F → Free private sector (Privatization)
- P → Protection removed (Deregulation)
- D → "Defend" property rights (Secure property rights)
10. Three Main Pillars of Beijing Consensus
Mnemonic: "EPS - Every Person Succeeds"
Mnemonic Explanation:This helps recall China's model:
- E → Experimentation and innovation
- P → Peaceful distributive growth (gradual reforms)
- S → Self-determination (selective foreign ideas)
11. Two Ways to Calculate National Income
Mnemonic: "FC-MC → Factory Creates, Market Charges"
Mnemonic Explanation:
- FC → Factor Cost (producer's cost, factory price)
- MC → Market Cost (final price with taxes added)
12. GVA Components
Mnemonic: "COMC - Come On, Make Cash"
Mnemonic Explanation:This helps recall what makes up GVA:
- C → CE (Compensation of Employees)
- O → OS (Operating Surplus)
- M → MI (Mixed Income)
- C → CFC (Consumption of Fixed Capital/Depreciation)
13. Demand Side vs Supply Side
Mnemonic Story: "GDP Demands Everything, GVA Gives Value Added"
Mnemonic Explanation:
- GDP → Calculated on Demand side (all expenditures)
- GVA → Calculated on Supply side (value added by sectors)
- Formula: GDP = GVA + Net Taxes
14. Five Major Economic Systems Evolution Timeline
Mnemonic Story: "Depression Broke Dreams, Mixing Ways, West Whispered, Beijing Balanced
Story Explanation:- Depression broke → Market economy faced the Great Depression.
- Dreams → Non-market economies experienced internal decay.
- Mixing ways → The Mixed Economy emerged as a balanced solution.
- West whispered → The Washington Consensus promoted free-market revival.
- Beijing balanced → The Beijing Consensus introduced an alternative development model.