Using the Data and Your Economic Knowledge, Discuss the View That the Measures Taken to Reduce the Size of the Budget Deficit Will Inevitably Result in a Rise in Unemployment in the Uk

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A budget deficit refers to government spending and it is the difference between the government’s everyday expenses and its revenues. When the government spends more than they receive it is known as a deficit however, when the revenues exceed the expenses it is known as a surplus. There are many different strategies, which can be used to decrease the size of the budget deficit including a rise in taxes or a reduction in government spending and this can have a substantial effect on the employment rate in the UK. One measure that can be taken to reduce the size of the budget deficit is to cut spending on the public sector, also known as austerity, such as health services, education, welfare and defence. Government spending cuts reduce output significantly, and Extract B, line 2 states that the ONS have found that there has been ‘a sharp fall in employment in the public sector which has helped to push total unemployment above 2.5 million last month’. This therefore proves that there will be a significant reduction in public sector employment however there will be a greater demand for the private sector output and as a result an increase in employment in the private sector. In contrary, reducing government spending also helps to reduce the national debt in the economy so that a budget surplus can be achieved. (AD/AS diagram shifting left or unemployment) Extract C, line 2 states that ‘the 2.5% rise in VAT…will drive up unemployment’ and this is a fiscal policy measure that will affect unemployment in the economy because with an increase in VAT consumers will be less resistant in buying goods because they have to spend more and so they instead decide to save which is known as a withdrawal from the circular flow of income. Furthermore, an increase in taxation such as income tax and VAT will also reduce aggregate demand from AD1 to AD2 and real GDP because

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