EconomyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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economy (fromÂ
Greek οίκος – household and νÎμoμαι – manage) is an area of theÂ
production,Â
distribution andÂ
trade, as well asÂ
consumption ofÂ
goods andÂ
services by different agents. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the production, use, and management of resources.
 A given economy is the result of a set of processes that involves its culture, values, education, technological evolution, history, social organization, political structure and legal systems, as well as its geography, natural resource endowment, and ecology, as main factors. These factors give context, content, and set the conditions and parameters in which an economy functions. In other words, the economic domain is a social domain of interrelated human practices and transactions that does not stand alone.Economic agents can be individuals, businesses, organizations, or governments. Economic transactions occur when two groups or parties agree to the value or price of the transacted good or service, commonly expressed in a certainÂ
currency. However, monetary transactions only account for a small part of the economic domain.Economic activity is spurred by production which uses natural resources, labor and capital. It has changed over time due toÂ
technology,Â
innovation (new products, services, processes, expanding markets, diversification of markets, niche markets, increases revenue functions) such as, that which produces intellectual property and changes inÂ
industrial relations (most notablyÂ
child labor being replaced in some parts of the world withÂ
universal access to education).
AÂ
market-based economy is one whereÂ
goods andÂ
services are produced and exchanged according toÂ
demand andÂ
supply between participants (economic agents) byÂ
barter or aÂ
medium of exchange with aÂ
credit orÂ
debitÂ
value accepted within the network, such as a unit of currency. AÂ
command-based economy is one where political agents directly control what is produced and how it is sold and distributed. AÂ
green economy isÂ
low-carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive. In a green economy, growth in income and employment is driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhanceÂ
energy andÂ
resource efficiency, and prevent theÂ
loss of biodiversity andÂ
ecosystem services.
 AÂ
gig economy is one in which short-term jobs are assigned or chosen via online platforms.
 New economy is a term that referred to the whole emerging ecosystem where new standards and practices were introduced, usually as a result of technological innovations. TheÂ
global economy refers to humanitysÂ
economic system or systems overall.
RangeToday the range of fields of study examining the economy revolves around theÂ
social science ofÂ
economics, but may includeÂ
sociology (
economic sociology),Â
history (
economic history),Â
anthropology (
economic anthropology), andÂ
geography (
economic geography). Practical fields directly related to the human activities involvingÂ
production,Â
distribution,Â
exchange, andÂ
consumption ofÂ
goods and services as a whole areÂ
engineering,Â
management,Â
business administration,Â
applied science, andÂ
finance.AllÂ
professions, occupations,Â
economic agents or economic activities, contribute to the economy.Â
Consumption,Â
saving, andÂ
investment are variable components in the economy that determine macroeconomic equilibrium. There are three main sectors of economic activity:Â
primary,Â
secondary, andÂ
tertiary.Due to the growing importance of the financial sector in modern times,
 the termÂ
real economy is used by analysts
 as well as politicians
 to denote the part of the economy that is concerned with the actual production of goods and services,
 as ostensibly contrasted with theÂ
paper economy, or the financial side of the economy,
 which is concerned with buying and selling on the financial markets. Alternate and long-standing terminology distinguishes measures of an economy expressed inÂ
real values (adjusted forÂ
inflation), such asÂ
real GDP, or inÂ
nominal values (unadjusted for inflation).EtymologyTheÂ
English words economy and
economics can be traced back to theÂ
Greek word οἰκονόμος (i.e. household management), a composite word derived from οἶκος (house;household;home) and νÎμω (manage; distribute;to deal out;dispense) by way of οἰκονομία (household management).The first recorded sense of the word economy is in the phrase the management of Å“conomic affairs, found in a work possibly composed in a monastery in 1440.
 Economy is later recorded in more general senses, including thrift and administration.The most frequently used current sense, denoting the economic system of a country or an area, seems not to have developed until the 1650s.