# Economics Grade 12 Eastern Cape Mock 2013 Memo (English)

> Grade 12 Economics memorandum from the Eastern Cape Mock Exam 2013 (English), 17 pages. Read online or download the free PDF.

- Page: https://www.hlayiso.com/library/gr12-econ-s13-memo-eng/6447a982-165d-4992-b277-773b1e1ab452
- Updated: 2026-09-27
- Subject: Economics
- Grade: Grade 12
- Document type: Memorandum
- Year: 2013
- Exam period: Eastern Cape Mock Exam
- Curriculum: CAPS
- Pages: 17

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Economics · Grade 12 · Eastern Cape Mock Exam · 2013. Memorandum, 17 pages. Read online or download the PDF.

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                  Province of the
                  EASTERN CAPE
                  EDUCATION

                          NATIONAL
                     SENIOR CERTIFICATE

                            GRADE 12

                      SEPTEMBER 2013

                          ECONOMICS
                         MEMORANDUM

MARKS:   300

                  This memorandum consists of 17 pages.

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2                                       ECONOMICS                           (SEPTEMBER 2013)

SECTION A (Compulsory)

QUESTION 1 (LO1 – LO4)

1.1
LO1       1.1.1     A      short term
          1.1.2     C      recovery
          1.1.3     B      Auditor-General.
LO2       1.1.4     B      slopes downwards from left to right.
          1.1.5     B      merit
          1.1.6     C      Cellphone industry
LO3       1.1.7     A      Black Economic Empowerment
          1.1.8     A      IDZs
          1.1.9     C      World Trade Organisation.
LO4       1.1.10    A      CPI
          1.1.11    C      indigenous heritage.
          1.1.12    B      Conservation                                     (12 x 2) (24)

1.2       1.2.1     Financial 
          1.2.2     Deregulation 
          1.2.3     Social security grants 
          1.2.4     SARB  
          1.2.5     Oligopoly                                                 (5 x 2) (10)

1.3       1.3.1     H  Shows the relationship between tax rate and tax revenue.
          1.3.2     E  To obtain meaningful share or control of a business.
          1.3.3     B  To prevent the abuse of economic power e.g. monopoly.
          1.3.4     A  These are over consumed in a free market economy.
          1.3.5     D  Return of land to those who lost them because of
                         discriminatory laws.
          1.3.6     I  Includes air, road, rail and sea transport.
          1.3.7     J  Aggregate demand exceeds aggregate supply.
          1.3.8     C  Foreign tourists arriving in South Africa.           (8 x 2) (16)

                                                                    TOTAL SECTION A:      50

SECTION B (Answer any THREE questions from this section.)

QUESTION 2 (LO1 AS1 − AS4) (50 MARKS – 25 MINUTES)

2.1   2.1.1        open                                                                 (2)
      2.1.2        nationalisation                                                      (2)
      2.1.3        main                                                                 (2)
      2.1.4        depreciation                                                         (2)

2.2         Business cycles 
            Kitchin cycles 
            Juggler cycles 
            Kuznets cycles 
            Kondratief cycles                                          (Any 3 x 2)     (6)

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(SEPTEMBER 2013)                          ECONOMICS                                         3

 2.3    DATA RESPONSE

        2.3.1      It is the price of one currency in terms of another one.               (2)
        2.3.2      Appreciates/become stronger                                            (2)
        2.3.3       Revaluation 
                    Devaluation                                               (2 x 2)    (4)
        2.3.4      South African Reserve Bank/SARB                                        (2)

 2.4    DATA RESPONSE

        2.4.1      Eskom                                                                  (2)
        2.4.2      It is used to describe the change in status of an enterprise from a
                   non-profit to a profit-seeking enterprise.                             (2)
        2.4.3       SOEs are bureaucratic, inefficient, and unresponsive to the
                        needs of the people. 
                    It will broaden the tax base. 
                    Private sector is able to adapt more easily to changing
                        economic conditions. 
                    It will give more people a share in the economy. 
                    It will make funds available for necessities like housing,
                        education, health care and assistance to the poor. 
                                                                              (Any 2 x 2)   (4)
        2.4.4      The government will have to support loss-making entities at
                   taxpayer’s expense.                                                    (2)

 2.5       Known as producers/manufacturers of goods and services 
           Buys factors of production from households in the factor market 
           Use the factors of production to produce goods and services 
           Sells goods and services in the product market                                (8)

 2.6       Community goods are non-rival goods. 
           Consumption by one does not exclude the consumption of another. 
           These are non-excludable. 
           Means that consumers cannot be charged a price on the basis of use.
           They are not offered by the private sector. 
           E.g. defence, police, flood control, street lighting, etc.    (4 x 2)          (8)
                                                                                            [50]

 QUESTION 3 (LO2 AS1 – AS3) (50 MARKS – 25 MINUTES)

 3.1    3.1.1      loss                                                                   (2)
        3.1.2      advertising                                                            (2)
        3.1.3      direct                                                                 (2)
        3.1.4      collective                                                             (2)

 3.2       Non-rivalry 
           Non-excludability 
           Social benefits outstrip private benefits 
           Infinite consumption 
           Non-rejectability                                              (Any 3 x 2)    (6)

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4                                      ECONOMICS                              (SEPTEMBER 2013)

3.3   DATA RESPONSE

      3.3.1     Normal profit in perfect competition                                      (2)
      3.3.2     The firm will receive economic profit.                                    (2)
      3.3.3     Where MR = MC                                                             (2)
      3.3.4      It is the actual expenditure of a business on the purchase or hire
                   of inputs. 
                 It includes wages, interest, leasing of land and buildings and
                   expenditure on raw materials.                                          (4)

3.4   DATA RESPONSE

      3.4.1     These are costs and benefits that convert private costs and benefits
                into social costs and benefits.                                           (2)
      3.4.2      Private costs plus external cost are equal to social costs. 
                 This is the cost of goods and services to those who produce
                    them and to the community as a whole. 
                 It is also the additional cost of pollution or the cost of treating a
                    sickness caused by the production of a good or service. 
                 No values are given to these external costs because there is no
                    market price for them.                                 (Any 2 x 2)    (4)

      3.4.3        Private costs are costs that are incurred by consumers when
                    they buy the goods. 
                   Private benefits are benefits received by those who buy and sell
                    the goods.                                                            (4)

3.5      Oligopolies collude through formal or informal agreement 
         When they reach a formal agreement, it is called a cartel. 
         This is to limit competition and maintain high profitability. 
         There are different forms – overt collusion, tacit collusion, etc. 
         A good example of collusion is OPEC.                             (Any 4 x 2)    (8)

3.6      It means the product mix does not reflect consumers taste. 
         This is because resources are not allocated in the right proportions. 
         The quantities preferred by the consumers are not available. 
         It can be improved if producers change products depending on market
          demand.                                                           (4 x 2)       (8)
                                                                                           [50]

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(SEPTEMBER 2013)                        ECONOMICS                                         5

 QUESTION 4 (LO3 AS1 – AS4) (50 MARKS – 25 MINUTES)

 4.1    4.1.1      SARB                                                                 (2)
        4.1.2      northern                                                             (2)
        4.1.3      normal                                                               (2)
        4.1.4      GDP                                                                  (2)

 4.2       Duty free incentives 
           Small and Medium Enterprise Development Programme (SMEDP) 
           Skills Support Programme (SSP) 
           Black Business Supplier Programme (BBSP) 
           Critical Infrastructure Programme (CIP) 
           Foreign Investment Grant (FIG)                      (Any 3 x 2)             (6)

 4.3 DATA RESPONSE

       4.3.1        GEAR 
                    RDP 
                    AsgiSA                                             (Any 2 x 2)     (4)
       4.3.2        Incentives to work and produce 
                    Human and physical capital formation 
                    Satisfying international benchmarks                (Any 2 x 2)     (4)
       4.3.3       Growth Employment And Redistribution                                 (2)

 4.4 DATA RESPONSE

       4.4.1       SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authority)                      (2)
       4.4.2       Lack of skills and training                                          (2)
       4.4.3        Transport 
                    Communication 
                    Energy                                             (Any 2 x 2)     (4)
       4.4.4        skills development 
                    education and training                             (Any 1 x 2)     (2)

 4.5  Incentives 
       o It will encourage manufacturers to increase their export volumes. 
       o Include market information, research with regard to new markets,
           concessions on transport charges, export credit and guarantees, etc. 
      Subsidies 
       o This is in the form of cash payments to exporters. 
       o Includes cash payments like refunds on import tariffs, general tax
           rebates, tax concessions, employment subsidies, assistance in
           financing exports.                                  2 x (Any 2 + 2)   (8)

 4.6  A higher rate of literacy, knowledge and skills among the population can be
       achieved through education. 
      Can be achieved by means of effective education and training. 
      It improves productivity, national wealth, higher standard of living, etc. 
      It receives the largest percentage of total expenditure in RSA. 
      Standard of living and the level of education are closely related. 
                                                                            (Any 4 x 2)    (8)
                                                                                          [50]

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6                                    ECONOMICS                               (SEPTEMBER 2013)

QUESTION 5 (LO4 AS1 − 3) (50 MARKS – 25 MINUTES)

5.1   5.1.1   labour                                                                    (2)
      5.1.2   cost-push                                                                 (2)
      5.1.3   ecotourism                                                                (2)
      5.1.4   renewable                                                                 (2)

5.2    There should be a purpose for the visit. 
       No remuneration should be earned 
       The minimum stay should be on night and the maximum should be less
        than one year. 
       The travelling distance should be more than 160 km.    (Any 3 x 2)              (6)

5.3   DATA RESPONSE

      5.3.1   It excludes items from the CPI basket that have highly volatile
              prices and items with prices that are affected by government
              intervention.                                                             (2)
      5.3.2   Semi-durable goods                                                        (2)
      5.3.3    It is caused by an increase in the price of administered goods
                  and services. 
               These are the prices of goods and services that are set or
                  controlled by the government.                                         (4)
      5.3.4   Goods that can be used only once/goods that are consumed during
              use, e.g. food stuffs                                                     (2)

5.4   DATA RESPONSE

      5.4.1      It is the introduction of chemical, physical or biological materials
                  into fresh water sources 
               It degrades the quality of water and negatively affects the
                  organisms that live in it and people who use them.                    (4)
      5.4.2   Oil spill                                                                 (2)
      5.4.3    Preservation is the maintenance and protection of the
                  environment and its resources in their present condition. 
               Conservation is the sustainable management and use of
                  natural resources.                                                    (4)

5.5      It brings development to the poor in rural areas. 
         Many of the prime tourism attractions are located in the rural areas. 
         It allows rural people to share the benefits of tourism development. 
         It allows people continue a rural family existence.              (4 x 2)      (8)

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(SEPTEMBER 2013)                          ECONOMICS                                       7

 5.6     The environment is a common resource 
          o Most services do not have a price. 
          o There is no economic incentive to economise on their use. 
         Externalities 
          o The cost of pollution on the environment is borne by others. 
          o Because no one owns the environment. 
         Lack of knowledge 
          o People cause damage to the environment without realising it. 
          o In many instances, people do not have the knowledge to do things in
             an environmentally friendly way. 
         Carelessness 
          o People are generally prepared to continue with various harmful
              practices. 
          o They leave it to future generations to worry about the
              consequences.                                       Any 2 x(2 + 2)        (8)
                                                                                         [50]

 QUESTION 6 (LO1 AND LO2) (50 MARKS – 25 MINUTES)

 6.1    6.1.1      variable                                                            (2)
        6.1.2      trough                                                              (2)
        6.1.3      makers                                                              (2)
        6.1.4      consume                                                             (2)

 6.2     Investment 
         Government expenditure 
         Export income                                                      (3 x 2)   (6)

 6.3    DATA RESPONSE

        6.3.1         Decline in the economic growth in RSA’s trading partners. 
                      Domestic supply constraints. 
                      Appreciation of the external value of the rand 
                      Contraction in export proceeds. 
                      Increase in the value of merchandise imports.     (Any 2 x 2)   (4)
        6.3.2         Euro area 
                      United Kingdom 
                      China                                             (Any 1 x 2)   (2)
        6.3.3         Merchandise 
                      Net gold exports 
                      Services 
                      Income 
                      Current transfers                                 (Any 2 x 2)   (4)

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8                                     ECONOMICS                             (SEPTEMBER 2013)

6.4   DATA RESPONSE

      6.4.1    Long-term equilibrium of a monopoly/monopolistic competition            (2)
      6.4.2    Economic profit                                                         (2)
      6.4.3    A = AC/Average Cost Curve 
               B = MC/Marginal Cost curve                                              (4)
      6.4.4    It is the increase in total revenue by selling an additional unit.      (2)

6.5    It means that goods and services are not provided in the desired quantity
        or quality. 
       Public goods are efficiently provided only if pareto efficiency is
        achieved. 
       Bureaucracy  – following official rules and procedures may cause
        inefficiency. 
       Incompetence  – lack of skill, improper qualifications, lack of training,
        experience, etc. can lead to inefficiency. 
       Corruption  – the exploitation of a person’s position for private gain
        such as taking bribes, nepotism, fraud, etc. can also lead to
        inefficiency.                                                    (Any 4 x 2)   (8)

6.6      It is where total revenue is exactly equal to total costs. 
         It appears that the entrepreneur is not making any profit. 
         But total costs include normal profit. 
         It is the amount the entrepreneur pays him-/herself. 
         Normal profit is the minimum earnings required to prevent the
          entrepreneur from leaving the business.                     (Any 4 x 2)       (8)
                                                                                         [50]

                                                               TOTAL SECTION B:          150

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(SEPTEMBER 2013)                        ECONOMICS                                       9

 SECTION C (Answer any TWO questions from this section.)

                MARK ALLOCATION FOR ESSAY RESPONSES
               STRUCTURE OF THE ESSAY                    Mark Allocation
 Introduction                                                Max 3
 Body
  Main part:       For example discuss/explain/detailed     Max 30
                    essay/analyse/evaluate
  Additional part: For example draw a graph or
                                                             Max 10
                    diagram/refer/indicate
 Conclusion                                                  Max 2
 Interpretation                                              Max 5
 TOTAL                                                         50

 QUESTION 7 (LO1 AS1)

 ESSAY RESPONSE

 Fully explain the following business cycle indicators used in forecasting –
 Leading, Lagging, Co-incident, Length and Amplitude.

 In addition draw a fully labelled “business cycle”.

 INTRODUCTION
   An economic indicator suggests how the economy is performing or is likely to
    perform.
   Basic forecasting is done by studying the changes in the numerical values of
    indicators. 
   (Accept any appropriate introduction.)                             (Any 1 x 3)      (3)

 BODY

 A.   Leading economic indicators
     These indicators will change before the economy changes 
     They peak before the aggregate economic activity reaches the peak. 
     They reach trough before the economic activity reaches trough. 
     They are important because they give advance warning of changes in
      aggregate economic activity. 
     E.g. Number of new vehicles sold  (Any ONE example)             (Any 4 x 2)     (8)

 B.   Co-incident economic indicators
     They indicate the actual state of the economy. 
     They move at the same time as the economy moves. 
     Co-incident indicators coincide with the turning points. 
     If co-incident economic indicators are improving, it means the economy is
      improving and vice versa. 
     E.g. Real GDP.  (Any ONE example)                                 (Any 4 x 2)   (8)

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10                                              ECONOMICS                            (SEPTEMBER 2013)

 C. Lagging economic indicators
  They do not change direction until after the business cycle has changed
    direction. 
  It confirms the behaviour of co-incident indicators. 
  If they do not confirm an upswing or downswing, they are weak or likely to end
    at an early stage. 
  E.g. number of commercial vehicles sold.  (Any ONE example) (Any 3 x 2)                      (6)
D.      Length
       It is the time taken to complete one cycle. 
       It is the time between two successive peaks or troughs. 
       Longer cycles show the strength of the economy.                        (Any 2 x 2)      (4)
E.      Amplitude
       It is the difference between the total output between peak and trough. 
       Measured by the distance between the peak and the trough. 
       Large amplitude indicates strong underlying forces and can lead to longer
        cycles.                                                           (Any 2 x 2)           (4)

                                     Peak                            Trend line 

     Economic activities
                                                                                     Amplitude
                           
                                       Recession            

                               Prosperity               Recovery 

                                              Depression 

                                                      Trough 

                                              Length 

                                        Time                                    max (10)
CONCLUSION
Even though we try to predict the future of the economy with all the available
techniques, accurate prediction of the future of the economy is beyond us. 
                                       (Any appropriate conclusion can be credited)   (2)
Use the following assessment grid together with the above to assess the discussion.
MARKS                          INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC
   0       Candidate has shown no understanding of the topic.
           Candidate has shown some understanding of topic but missed
   1
           important aspects of topic.                               (1 – 15 marks)
           Candidate has interpreted topic correctly but has not linked facts to
   3
           topic.                                                   (16 – 30 marks)
           Candidate has interpreted topic correctly and has linked facts to topic.
   5
                                                                    (31 – 45 marks)                (5)
                                                                                                  [50]

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(SEPTEMBER 2013)                       ECONOMICS                                       11

 QUESTION 8 (LO2 AS1)

 ESSAY RESPONSE

 Write a detailed essay on the characteristics of perfect competition.
 Make use of a PPC (graph) to indicate the following points.
       Inefficient productivity (A)
       Efficient productivity    (B)
       Impossible productivity (C)

 INTRODUCTION
   A perfect competitive market is a market structure with a large number of
    participants who are price-takers. 
   It is a market condition where none of the participants can influence the
    market. 
   (Any appropriate introduction can be credited.)                      (Any 1 x 3)   (3)

 BODY
  Large number of buyers 
    o   The number of buyers in the market is so large that an individual buyer is
        insignificant to influence the market conditions. 
    o   There are so many buyers in the market that a single buyer cannot
        influence market price. 
  Large number of sellers 
    o   The number of sellers in the market is so large that an individual seller
        cannot influence the market price. 
    o   Sellers in the perfect competitive market are price takers. 
  Products are homogenous 
    o   Products sold in this market are homogenous. 
    o   Products are identical in quality and appearance. 
    o   It makes no difference to a buyer from where he buys the product. 
  Freedom of entry and exit 
    o   The market is fully accessible as there is complete freedom of entry and
        exit. 
    o   Participants are free to enter and leave the market. 
    o   There are no restrictions with regard to entry or exit. 
  Factors of productions are completely mobile 
    o   All factors of productions can move freely between markets. 
  Perfect information 
    o   All participants have full knowledge of all the market conditions. 
    o   If one seller decides to raise the price, sellers will leave him for other
        sellers. 
    o   The business charging higher prices will not be able to sell its
        products. 
  No collusion 
    o   There is no collusion between sellers. 
    o   Each seller acts independently of the others. 
  No government intervention 
    o   No government intervention that could affect buyers/sellers. 

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12                                    ECONOMICS                              (SEPTEMBER 2013)

    Unregulated markets 
     o     There is no government intervention that could affect the
           participants. 
    No preferential treatment 
     o     There is no discrimination and nobody is treated differently. 
    Efficient transport and communication 
     o     There is efficient transport and communication to and from the
           market.                                                     (Any 15 x 2)     (30)

CONCLUSION
 There are only very few examples of a perfectly competitive market in the real
   world. 
 E.g. JSE, South African maize market are examples                (Any 1 x 2)          (2)

                                   B                C

                    Product A
                
                                    A 
                                                               (shape)

                    0
                                         Product B
                                                                                          (10)

Use the following assessment grid together with the above to assess the discussion.
MARKS INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC
   0       Candidate has shown no understanding of the topic.
           Candidate has shown some understanding of topic but missed
   1
           important aspects of topic.                               (1 – 15 marks)
           Candidate has interpreted topic correctly but has not linked facts to
   3
           topic.                                                   (16 – 30 marks)
           Candidate has interpreted topic correctly and has linked facts to topic.
   5
                                                                    (31 – 45 marks)        (5)
                                                                                          [50]

### Page 13

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(SEPTEMBER 2013)                       ECONOMICS                                      13

 QUESTION 9 (LO3 AS3)

 ESSAY RESPONSE

 Write a detailed essay on the methods of import substitution.

 Also refer to the arguments in favour of free trade.

 INTRODUCTION
   Import substitution occurs when a country introduces policies to encourage the
    local production of imported goods and services.
   It is when goods that were previously imported are replaced with locally
    manufactured goods. 
   (Accept any appropriate introduction.)                              (Any 1 x 3)   (3)

 BODY
 METHODS OF IMPORT SUBSTITUTION
  Tariffs 
   o It is also known as customs duties 
   o These are taxes imposed on imported goods. 
   o Ad valorem taxes  are levied as a percentage of the value of imported
       goods. 
   o Specific tariffs  are levied on goods per unit, mass or size. 
   o Tariffs will increase the price of imported goods and discourage local
       consumption. 
   o It also leads to an increased consumption of locally manufactured
       goods. 
  Quotas 
   o This is to limit the importation of goods. 
   o It is to reduce the supply of imported goods in the local market. 
   o Limited supply will increase the price of imported goods. 
  Subsidies 
   o Subsidies to domestic enterprises may be used as an indirect way of
       protecting them. 
   o It will help domestic producers to lower their costs and prices. 
   o It also helps domestic producers to undercut foreign enterprises in the
       domestic market. 
  Exchange controls 
   o It is to reduce imports by limiting the amount of foreign exchange available
       to importers. 
   o It will decrease the supply of imported goods and leads to increased
       demand for local goods. 
  Physical control 
   o Usually in the form of a complete ban on the import of certain goods 

### Page 14

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14                                   ECONOMICS                             (SEPTEMBER 2013)

  Diverting Trade 
   o Various methods are used to make it difficult for importing goods from
       abroad. 
   o Import deposits  – government may require importers to deposit a
       certain sum of money before they can import goods. 
   o Time consuming customs procedures  – to discourage importing. 
   o High quality standards  – are set by government which foreign
       producers may find it difficult to meet.                     (Any 15 x 2)      (30)

ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF FREE TRADE
 Specialisation 
  o The theory of comparative advantage shows that output can be increased
    using specialisation 
  o World trade and consumption can be maximised if countries specialise in
    what they can best produce. 
 Economies of scale 
  o It allows economies of scale to be maximised and unit costs to be
    reduced. 
  o Economies of scale lead to comparative advantage. 
 Choice 
  o It allows consumers the choice of goods and service. 
  o Consumer’s welfare can be improved because of the choice of goods
    available to them. 
 Innovation 
  o It leads to competition which provides incentive to innovate. 
  o Innovation leads to the production of new goods and services. 
  o It can also reduce costs and improve the quality and reliability of goods. 
                                                                         (Any 5 x 2)    (10)

CONCLUSION
Even though many people are sceptical of import substitution, it has many positive
effects on the economy. 
(Any appropriate conclusion can be credited.)                                           (2)

Use the following assessment grid together with the above to assess the discussion.
MARKS INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC
   0       Candidate has shown no understanding of the topic.
           Candidate has shown some understanding of topic but missed
   1
           important aspects of topic.                               (1 – 15 marks)
           Candidate has interpreted topic correctly but has not linked facts to
   3
           topic.                                                   (16 – 30 marks)
           Candidate has interpreted topic correctly and has linked facts to topic.
   5
                                                                    (31 – 45 marks)      (5)
                                                                                        [50]

### Page 15

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(SEPTEMBER 2013)                         ECONOMICS                                       15

QUESTION 10 (LO4 AS1)

ESSAY RESPONSE

Analyse the causes of cost-push inflation.

In addition indicate any five consequences of inflation.

INTRODUCTION
  It occurs where the interaction of demand and supply is disturbed by cost
   factors.
  It is an increase in the cost price of a product that leads to an increase in the
   selling price of a product.                                          (Any 1 x 3)    (3)

BODY
CAUSES OF COST PUSH INFLATION
 Higher demand for wages/Wages 
  o Workers often demand higher wages than their productivity. 
  o Employers are usually forced by trade unions to pay higher wages. 
  o Employers recover the higher cost on labour by increasing the prices of goods
     and services. 
  o It is the most important single cost-item. 
 Vicious circle of wages 
  o Higher prices of goods lead to a vicious circle of higher prices and demand for
     higher wages. 
  o Workers demand higher wages because of higher cost of living. 
 Drop in productivity/Productivity 
  o There is a drop in productivity while employment and wages remain high. 
  o Gradually production will decrease and prices will increase. 
  o Cost per unit output will rise if productivity decreases and remuneration
     remains unchanged. 
 Sudden strikes and stayaways 
  o This will reduce production output and causes a drop in supply. 
  o Decrease in supply will push prices up. 
 Direct taxation 
  o Producers will try to adjust their incomes when government increases direct
     taxation. 
  o Producers will increase their prices to compensate for the higher taxes. 
 Increase in the price of imported goods 
  o Producers will increase prices according to the increased costs. 
  o Because of higher production costs, producers will adjust their prices. 
 Increase in the price of administered goods 
  o When these prices go up, trade unions demand higher wages. 
  o Producers will add the increase in prices of administered goods on their
     products as well. 
  o E.g. increase in the price of petrol, postage, electricity, water, etc. 
 Indirect taxation 
  o Increase in indirect taxation also increases cost of production. 
  o E.g. Increase in VAT, customs and excise duties 

### Page 16

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16                                      ECONOMICS                             (SEPTEMBER 2013)

     Higher profit margins/Profit margins 
     o Some price increases are intended to increase the profit margins of
        businesses. 

  Shrinkage 
  o Shoplifting and loses caused by employees will also increase cost of
     production. 
  o These amounts are also added to the price of products. 
  o As more money is spent on security, prices of consumer goods will
     increase. 
 High prices of agricultural goods 
  o This is because of the high cost of inputs such as diesel and fertilisers. 
  o Higher input cost leads to higher food prices. 
 Interest rates 
  o High rate of interest is a cost item for many businesses. 
  o Interest is also included in the price goods. 
 Key-inputs 
   o Production costs increase with an increase in the prices of the key-inputs, e.g.
     oil. 
 Exchange Rate depreciation 
   o If the rand depreciates, all import goods become more expensive. 
 Natural disasters 
   o Droughts, floods, etc. causes the production costs and prices to increase. 
                                                                      (Any 15 x 2)          (30)

CONSEQUENCES OF INFLATION
 An increase in the price leads to a decrease in the purchasing power of money.
 It causes a redistribution of income and wealth. 
 It reduces the real value of savings. 
 It affects export earnings and affects balance of payments negatively. 
 Decreasing exports and increasing imports result in the depreciation of the
   currency. 
 It also leads to a redistribution of income from taxpayers to the government
   because of an increase in the average tax rate. 
 It also leads to wage bargaining which often leads to industrial and social unrest.
                                                                      (Any 5 x 2)   (10)
CONCLUSION
    There are many causes of inflation and they all have a close relationship with the
     functioning of the market system.
    When the market system does not function properly, inflation is the price we
     pay. 
    (Any appropriate conclusion can be credited.)                        (Any 1 x 2)       (2)

### Page 17

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(SEPTEMBER 2013)                        ECONOMICS                                       17

Use the following assessment grid together with the above to assess the discussion.
MARKS        INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC
    0        Candidate has shown no understanding of the topic.
             Candidate has shown some understanding of topic but missed
    1
             important aspects of topic.                               (1 – 15 marks)
             Candidate has interpreted topic correctly but has not linked facts to
    3
             topic.                                                   (16 – 30 marks)
             Candidate has interpreted topic correctly and has linked facts to topic.
    5
                                                                      (31 – 45 marks)    (5)
                                                                                        [50]

                                                               TOTAL SECTION C:         100
                                                                  GRAND TOTAL:          300

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