Question
Describe the expenditure method for measuring national income.

Answer

  • Introduction :
  • Prof. Fisher has explained the concept of National Income on the basis of flow of expenditure.
  • According to him, " In any country, the total of final monetary value of final goods and services used by consumers during a year can be called national income.
  • The purpose of income earned by a factors of production is consumption.
  • Therefore, the total expenditure indicates the national income.
  • Producers spend money for production. Consumers spend money for consumption.
  • The Government also spends money.
  • Thus, addition of all these expenditure can help in calculation of national income.
  • Expenditure Method for Measuring National Income:
  • This method of measuring national income is developed by Prof. Fisher.
  • In this method national income is measured by summing up the total monetary expenditure incurred on goods and services by individuals, families, firms and government during a year.
  • This method is based on the assumption that income = expenditure.
  • Because the ultimate goal of income earned is to incurred expenditure.
  • During a financial year total expenditure Is equal to the $GDP.$
  • From the point of view of expenditure, national income is equivalents to consumption cost and investment.
  • To know the national income from this method, the expenditure made by families.
  • Government and productive units are added. In this method,
  • consumption expenditure $C.,$
  • Investment expenditure $(I),$
  • Government $(G),$
  • and Expenditure made by foreign citizens on our exports $(M)$
  • are taken into consideration for the calculation of national income.
  • The equation of measuring national income is as follow :
      • $Y = C + G + I + (X - M) + (R - I')$
      • Here, $Y =$ National Income
      • $C =$ Private consumption expenditure
      • $G =$ Government Expenditure
      • $I =$ Domestic Investment Expenditure
      • $(X-M) =$ Net Exports
      • $(R-P) =$ Income from foreign countries - Payments to foreign countries.
  • Methods (Important Factors) :
  • The following monetary factors are considered while counting national income.
  • Consumption Expenditure :
      • In this method expenditure incurred on consumable goods I by citizens, families and firms.
      • It includes expenditure on durable goods like $TV,$ car etc. and perishable goods like food grains, fruits, vegetables, and services like education, medical treatment, transportation and communication.
  • Investment Expenditure $(I) :$
      • It is the expenditure incurred on building of a factory, plant and machinery and necessary goods equipments for the profession are considered.
      • It is also known as domestic investment expenditure.
      • This includes
        • The expenditure made by productive units on ' purchase of capital goods (immovable capital creation).
        • Increase in stock or inventory of goods during a year.
  • Government Expenditure $(G) :$
      • It includes expenditure such as consumption expenditure, investment expenditure administrative expenditure etc. by central government and local bodies.
      • Government expenditure in which the government incurs for providing consumption goods and services.
  • Net export Expenditure:
      • The expenditure on import of foreign goods by the citizens of country and our export is expenditure incurred on goods by foreign citizens.
      • Therefore, the difference between these two is the net export which is included in the national income.
      • When the imports expenditure is deducted from exports, net exports can be found.
      • If this difference is $+$ (plus), it is to be added in national income and if it is minus, it is to be subtracted.
      • E.g. A country has made export of $Rs. 5,000$ crores and made import worth $Rs. 4,000$ crores, Net export can bet $Rs. 1,000$ crores. In short, Total National Income $=$ Consumption Expenditure $+$ Investment Expenditure $+$ Government Expenditure $+$ Net Export Expenditure.
  • The things to be considered while calculating national income by expenditure method:
    • To avoid double counting, interim expenses for purchase should not be considered but only the cost of final consumer goods and services must be calculated.
    • The transfer payment made by the Government must not be considered because the beneficiary does not provide any goods or services during the year.
    • For example :
    • Pension, unemployment allowances etc.
    • Transfer expenditure is not included in investment expenditure.
    • The purchase of share bond is also not included in production cost of the currently
    • Second hand goods purchased should not be included in calculation of the expenditure because it has no contribution for the current year.
    • The increases in stock capital must be considered.
    • Subsidy Expenditure is not considered for measuring national income.
  • Calculation :
  • The official data of people, cannot be obtained and therefore it is very difficult to measure national income by this method.
  • E.g. A employer gives $Rs. 2,000$ to employee for household expenditure.
  • From that amount he paid $Rs. 500$ to domestic helper, then total expenditure is $Rs. 2,000$ or $Rs. 2,500. $ It is difficult to consider that expenditure.
  • This method is based on expenditure behind consumption $+$ aggregate saving $=$ Total income of society.
  • For given period by totaling consumption expenditure and total savings we can calculate total income of the country.

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