Question

Difficulty: EasyBalance of Payments Disequilibrium and Adjustment Measures

Match each balance of payments policy action on the left with the correct economic mechanism on the right used to address a deficit.

  • Import quotasDirect trade restriction to limit foreign product inflows
  • Increase in bank reserve requirementsMonetary contraction to decrease domestic credit and overall demand
  • Currency devaluationExchange rate alteration to make exports cheaper and imports costlier
  • Reduction in public spendingFiscal contraction to lower domestic income and import absorption

Answer

Import quotas match direct trade restrictions; increase in bank reserve requirements matches monetary contraction; currency devaluation matches exchange rate alteration; and reduction in public spending matches fiscal contraction.
Each adjustment measure correctly pairs with its economic operation: import quotas use administrative volume limits to restrict imports; higher reserve requirements suppress monetary growth to reduce total spending; devaluation uses relative price shifts to switch consumption to domestic products; and cutting public spending reduces aggregate demand via fiscal tightening.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze commercial trade policies
Import quotas restrict foreign entry directly, classifying them as direct trade expenditure-switching tools.
Quotas physically limit import volume rather than acting through price or income controls.
2
Analyze monetary policy instruments
Increasing reserve requirements shrinks money supply and credit creation capacity.
This is an expenditure-reducing monetary measure designed to curb aggregate demand.
3
Analyze exchange rate policies
Currency devaluation modifies relative prices between domestic and foreign goods.
Making foreign goods relatively expensive encourages buyers to switch demand to local substitutes.
4
Analyze fiscal policy instruments
Reducing public expenditure lowers government spending and overall national income.
Lower domestic absorption decreases overall expenditure on imported products.

Key Concept

Classification of Balance of Payments Adjustment Policies
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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