Consumption Demand (2024)

19.3 Consumption Demand

Learning Objective

  1. Learn the determinants of consumption demand and the effects of changes in these variables.

Consumption demand represents the demand for goods and services by individuals and households in the economy. This is the major category in the national income accounts for most countries, typically comprising from 50 percent to 70 percent of the gross national product (GNP) for most countries.

In this model, the main determinant of consumption demand is disposable income. Disposable income is all the income households have at their disposal to spend. It is defined as national income (GNP) minus taxes taken away by the government, plus transfer paymentsGovernment expenditures made to individuals or businesses without any good or service received in exchange. It includes social insurance payments, welfare payments and unemployment compensation. that the government pays out to people. More formally, this is written as

Yd = YT + TR,

where Yd refers to disposable income, Y is real GNP, T is taxes, and TR represents transfer payments.

In this relationship, disposable income is defined in the same way as in the circular flow diagram presented in Chapter 13 "National Income and the Balance of Payments Accounts", Section 13.7 "The Twin-Deficit Identity". Recall that taxes withdrawn from GNP are assumed to be all taxes collected by the government from all sources. Thus income taxes, social insurance taxes, profit taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes are all assumed to be included in taxes (T). Also, transfer payments refer to all payments made by the government that do not result in the provision of a good or service. All social insurance payments, welfare payments, and unemployment compensation, among other things, are included in transfers (TR).

In the G&S model, demand for consumption G&S is assumed to be positively related to disposable income. This means that when disposable income rises, demand for consumption G&S will also rise, and vice versa. This makes sense since households who have more money to spend will quite likely wish to buy more G&S.

We can write consumption demand in a functional form as follows:

CD(Yd+)=CD(YT+TR+).

This expression says that consumption demand is a function CD that depends positively (+) on disposable income (Yd). The second term simply substitutes the variables that define disposable income in place of Yd. It is a more complete way of writing the function. Note well that CD here denotes a function, not a variable. The expression is the same as if we had written f(x), but instead we substitute a CD for the f and Yd for the x.

It is always important to keep track of which variables are exogenous and which are endogenous. In this model, real GNP (Y) is the key endogenous variable since it will be determined in the equilibrium. Taxes (T) and transfer payments (TR) are exogenous variables, determined outside the model. Since consumption demand CD is dependent on the value of Y, which is endogenous, CD is also endogenous. By the same logic, Yd is endogenous as well.

Linear Consumption Function

It is common in most introductory textbooks to present the consumption function in linear form. For our purposes here, this is not absolutely necessary, but doing so will allow us to present a few important points.

In linear form, the consumption function is written as

CD = C0+mpcYd = C0+mpc(YT+TR).

Here C0 represents autonomous consumption and mpc refers to the marginal propensity to consume.

Autonomous consumption (C0) is the amount of consumption that would be demanded even if income were zero. (Autonomous simply means “independent” of income.) Graphically, it corresponds to the y-intercept of the linear function. Autonomous consumption will be positive since households will spend some money (drawing on savings if necessary) to purchase consumption goods (like food) even if income were zero.

The marginal propensity to consume (mpc)The additional consumption demanded with an additional dollar of disposable income. represents the additional (or marginal) demand for G&S given an additional dollar of disposable income. Graphically, it corresponds to the slope of the consumption function. This variable must be in the range of zero to one and is most likely to be between 0.5 and 0.8 for most economies. If mpc were equal to one, then households would spend every additional dollar of income. However, because most households put some of their income into savings (i.e., into the bank, or pensions), not every extra dollar of income will lead to a dollar increase in consumption demand. That fraction of the dollar not used for consumption but put into savings is called the marginal propensity to save (mps)The additional saving that occurs with an additional dollar of disposable income.. Since each additional dollar must be spent or saved, the following relationship must hold:

mpc + mps = 1,

that is, the sum of the marginal propensity to consume and the marginal propensity to save must equal 1.

Key Takeaways

  • In the G&S model, consumption demand is determined by disposable income.
  • A linear consumption function includes the marginal propensity to consume and an autonomous consumption component, besides disposable income.
  • Disposable income is defined as national income (GNP) minus taxes plus transfer payments.
  • An increase (decrease) in disposable income will cause an increase (decrease) in consumption demand.
  • An increase (decrease) in the marginal propensity to consume will cause an increase (decrease) in consumption demand.

Exercise

  1. Jeopardy Questions. As in the popular television game show, you are given an answer to a question and you must respond with the question. For example, if the answer is “a tax on imports,” then the correct question is “What is a tariff?”

    1. The term that represents the additional amount of consumption demand caused by an additional dollar of disposable income.
    2. The term that represents the additional amount of saving caused by an additional dollar of disposable income.
    3. The term for the amount of consumption demand that would arise even if disposable income were zero.
    4. Of positive or negative, the relationship between changes in disposable income and changes in consumption demand.
    5. Of positive or negative, the relationship between changes in tax revenues and changes in consumption demand.
    6. Of positive or negative, the relationship between changes in real GNP and changes in consumption demand.
    7. A household purchase of a refrigerator would represent demand recorded in this component of aggregate demand in the G&S model.
Consumption Demand (2024)

FAQs

What is the consumption demand? ›

Consumption demand represents the demand for goods and services by individuals and households in the economy. This is the major category in the national income accounts for most countries, typically comprising from 50 percent to 70 percent of the gross national product (GNP) for most countries.

What is the formula for consumption demand? ›

We can write consumption demand in a functional form as follows: C D ( Y d + ) = C D ( Y − T + T R + ) . This expression says that consumption demand is a function C D that depends positively (+) on disposable income (Y d). The second term simply substitutes the variables that define disposable income in place of Y d.

What is Keynes theory of consumption demand? ›

According to him, as the income increases, consumption increases but not in the same proportion. The proportion of consumption to income is called average propensity to consume (APC). Thus, Keynes argues that average propensity to consume (APC) falls as income increases.

How do you solve for consumption? ›

What is the consumption function formula? The consumption function formula is C=c+bY. C is the total consumption, c is the basic consumption, b is the marginal propensity to spend, and Y is the income.

What does consumption demand depend the most on? ›

Consumption and Disposable Personal Income. It seems reasonable to expect that consumption spending by households will be closely related to their disposable personal income, which equals the income households receive less the taxes they pay. Note that disposable personal income and GDP are not the same thing.

What is the consumer demand in simple words? ›

Lesson Summary. Consumer demand is the willingness to buy a product or service based on their desire. Supply is the amount of product available for consumers to purchase. Supply and demand, when balanced, maximize profits for the suppliers and satisfy the consumers.

How do you calculate power consumption demand? ›

How to calculate kWh per month
  • Device Wattage (watts) X Hours Used Per Day = Watt-hours (Wh) per day.
  • Example: A 170-watt television used three hours per day.
  • 170 watts X 3 hours = 510 Wh/Day.
  • Device Usage (Wh) / 1,000 (Wh/kWh) = Device Usage in kWh.
  • Example: A television using 510 Wh of electricity per day.
Dec 22, 2023

What is consumption and its formula? ›

The general equation of the consumption function is C = a + bYd, where 'C' represents consumption, 'a' is autonomous consumption, 'b' is the marginal propensity to consume, and 'Yd' is disposable income. The savings function is S = -a + (1-b)Yd.

How to calculate consumer demand? ›

You can calculate demand by plotting a graph that details how many units of your product consumers may purchase relative to its price. Typically, as the price decreases, the demand increases. To create your graph, you plot the price vertically along the Y-axis and the quantity of demand horizontally along the X-axis.

What is the Keynes formula for consumption? ›

MPC = ΔC/ΔY Page 11 where, MPC stands for marginal propensity to consume, ΔC for change in consumption, and ΔY for change in income. marginal propensity to consume is the ratio of change in consumption to the change in income, i.e. ΔC/ΔY.

What is the most important determinant of consumption? ›

Income. Income level is the most important factor of consumption as it directly affects the spending capacity of an individual or household.

What is Keynes theory in short? ›

The main plank of Keynes's theory, which has come to bear his name, is the assertion that aggregate demand—measured as the sum of spending by households, businesses, and the government—is the most important driving force in an economy.

How is consumption determined? ›

Understanding the Consumption Function

The classic consumption function suggests consumer spending is wholly determined by income and the changes in income. If true, aggregate savings should increase proportionally as the gross domestic product (GDP) grows over time.

What is the formula for the Keynesian model? ›

Y = C + S The equality between Y, which represents income, and C + I + G, which represents total expenditures (or aggregate demand), is the (Keynesian) equilibrium condition. This simple linear equation shows the general form of the relationship between income and consumption.

What is the fundamental equation of Keynes? ›

The fundamental equation of the Keynesian system is: aggregate income = aggregate expenditures. This means that the only way any individual can receive any income in the form of money is for some other individual to spend an equal sum.

What is the energy consumption demand? ›

Energy demand is the term used to describe the consumption of energy by human activity. It drives the whole energy system, influencing the total amount of energy used; the location of, and types of fuel used in the energy supply system; and the characteristics of the end use technologies that consume energy.

What is consumption mean in economics? ›

consumption, in economics, the use of goods and services by households. Consumption is distinct from consumption expenditure, which is the purchase of goods and services for use by households.

What is the demand of consumption goods? ›

Market factors affecting demand of consumer goods. The demand for a good increases or decreases depending on several factors. This includes the product's price, perceived quality, advertising spend, consumer income, consumer confidence, and changes in taste and fashion.

What does the consumption function tells us? ›

As noted above, the consumption function is an economic formula introduced by John Maynard Keynes, who tracked the connection between income and spending. Also called the Keynesian consumption function, it tracks the proportion of income used to purchase goods and services.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Last Updated:

Views: 6069

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Birthday: 1997-10-17

Address: Suite 835 34136 Adrian Mountains, Floydton, UT 81036

Phone: +3571527672278

Job: Manufacturing Agent

Hobby: Skimboarding, Photography, Roller skating, Knife making, Paintball, Embroidery, Gunsmithing

Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.