Autonomous consumption

Autonomous consumption
See also
Permanent income hypothesis Rational expectations theory Labor supply curve Income effect Rybczynski theorem GDP deflator Economic climate Market growth Endogenous growth theory

Autonomous consumption is the portion of total consumption that is not determined by current income levels. It is a key component of the aggregate demand equation in macroeconomics, which is represented as:

Aggregate Demand = Autonomous Consumption + Induced Consumption

Autonomous consumption is the amount of consumption that households will engage in regardless of income, such as basic necessities like food and shelter. It is driven by factors such as population growth and changes in taste and preferences. Autonomous consumption is important to consider when looking at macroeconomic trends, as it can provide an indication of how household spending will react to changes in income. For example, if autonomous consumption is low, then there may be a greater impact on total consumption when income levels drop.

Example of Autonomous consumption

Autonomous consumption can be broken down into several components, including:

• Population growth: Population growth can impact autonomous consumption as it increases the number of consumers in the market, allowing for more consumption.
• Changes in tastes and preferences: Changes in tastes and preferences can lead to increased or decreased consumption, depending on what people are buying.
• Government spending: Government spending can impact autonomous consumption as it provides an additional source of income for households, which can lead to increased consumption.
• Investment: Investment can also impact autonomous consumption, as it increases the amount of available capital, which can lead to increased consumption.

Formula of Autonomous consumption

The formula for autonomous consumption is the following:

Autonomous Consumption = C0 + (MPC * (Y - T)).

C0 represents the minimum level of consumption required by households, such as basic necessities. MPC stands for marginal propensity to consume, which is the ratio of the change in consumption to the change in income. Y is total income, and T is total taxes.

The formula shows that autonomous consumption is the minimum consumption level plus the additional consumption driven by changes in income. This means that if income increases, autonomous consumption will increase, but the increase will not be as much as the increase in income. This is because households will only spend a portion of their increased income, with the rest being saved.

When to use Autonomous consumption

Autonomous consumption is often used to better understand the relationship between the aggregate demand equation and household spending. This can be helpful in predicting how changes in income will impact the overall economy. It is also used to examine how different economic policies, such as taxation or government spending, will affect economic growth. By understanding autonomous consumption, economists and policy makers can better understand how changes in the economy will affect households and other businesses.

• Autonomous consumption is an important concept in macroeconomics, as it provides insight into how households will react to changes in income.
• It is used to understand how different economic policies will affect economic growth.
• Autonomous consumption is represented as part of the aggregate demand equation, which is used to measure the total demand in the economy.

Autonomous consumption provides a valuable tool for understanding how changes in income and economic policies will impact households and other businesses. It is an important element of the aggregate demand equation, which is used to measure the total demand in the economy. By accounting for autonomous consumption, economists and policy makers can better understand how changes in the economy will affect households and businesses.

Types of Autonomous consumption

Autonomous consumption can be broken down into three categories:

• Fixed Autonomous Consumption: This is the portion of autonomous consumption that does not change with income levels. Examples of this type of autonomous consumption are things like rent, food, and clothing.
• Luxury Autonomous Consumption: This is the portion of autonomous consumption that is discretionary and driven by tastes and preferences. Examples of this type of autonomous consumption are things like vacations, cars, and jewelry.
• Investment Autonomous Consumption: This is the portion of autonomous consumption that is driven by businesses and households investing in new capital and projects. Examples of this type of autonomous consumption are things like machines, technology, and buildings.

Limitations of Autonomous consumption

Despite the importance of autonomous consumption, it has some drawbacks. First, since it is not determined by income, it is difficult to measure. This can make it difficult to accurately predict how much of an impact changes in income will have on total consumption. Additionally, autonomous consumption is often assumed to be constant, which may not always be the case. This can lead to inaccurate predictions of how changes in income will affect total consumption.

Other approaches related to Autonomous consumption

• Permanent Income Hypothesis: This approach suggests that households will attempt to maintain their desired level of consumption regardless of their income level, and will adjust their saving and borrowing accordingly.
• Life-Cycle Hypothesis: This approach suggests that households will plan their consumption level over their lifetime, taking into account their expected income level in the future.
• Rational Expectations Hypothesis: This approach suggests that households will base their consumption level on their expected income level in the future, taking into account their current income level as well as any expected changes in income.

In summary, Autonomous consumption is an important component of aggregate demand and is determined by factors such as population growth, changes in taste and preferences, and expected changes in income. Various approaches have been developed to explain the behavior of autonomous consumption, such as the Permanent Income Hypothesis, Life-Cycle Hypothesis, and Rational Expectations Hypothesis.

Suggested literature

• Cunningham, A. (2003). Autonomous consumption: Buying into the ideology of capitalism. Journal of Business Ethics, 48, 229-236.
• Peterson, D. (2011). Distribution shifts and declines in autonomous consumption: A great recipe for a Great Recession (Doctoral dissertation, University of Denver).
• Lavoie, M. (2017). Prototypes, reality and the growth rate of autonomous consumption expenditures: A rejoinder. Metroeconomica, 68(1), 194-199.