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Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements best describes the concept of an automatic stabilizer in economics?
A
A monetary policy tool used by central banks to control inflation.
B
A discretionary fiscal policy enacted by Congress to stimulate the economy.
C
A regulation that sets minimum wage levels to stabilize income.
D
A government policy that automatically increases spending or decreases taxes during economic downturns without new legislative action.
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of an automatic stabilizer in macroeconomics. Automatic stabilizers are government policies that naturally counterbalance economic fluctuations without the need for new legislative action.
Step 2: Recognize that automatic stabilizers work by increasing government spending or decreasing taxes automatically when the economy slows down, which helps to support aggregate demand.
Step 3: Differentiate automatic stabilizers from discretionary fiscal policy, which requires active decisions and new laws by Congress to change spending or taxes.
Step 4: Note that automatic stabilizers are not monetary policy tools, which are actions taken by central banks, nor are they regulations like minimum wage laws.
Step 5: Conclude that the best description of an automatic stabilizer is a government policy that automatically increases spending or decreases taxes during economic downturns without new legislative action.