मराठी

Deflationary Gap

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Topics

Estimated time: 14 minutes
  • Meaning of Deflationary Gap
  • Formula: Deflationary Gap
  • Diagrammatic Explanation
  • Consequences of Excess Demand
  • Diagrammatic Explanation
  • Key Points: Deflationary Gap
CISCE: Class 12

Meaning of Deflationary Gap

Deflationary Gap is the shortfall in Aggregate Demand (AD) from the level needed to achieve full employment in the economy.
In other words, it tells us by how much AD is falling short.

CISCE: Class 12

Formula: Deflationary Gap

Deflationary Gap = ADF ADU = GK

Symbol Meaning
ADF AD needed for Full Employment (the ideal level)
ADU AD at Underemployment (the actual, lower level)

Since ADU<ADF, the gap is positive — meaning demand is missing.

CISCE: Class 12

Diagrammatic Explanation

Element What It Represents
X-axis Income / Output / Employment
Y-axis Aggregate Demand (AD)
AS (45° line) Aggregate Supply — output matches income at every point
ADF (dashed line) The AD the economy needs for full employment
ADU (solid line) The AD the economy actually has (lower than needed)
Point G Full employment equilibrium — where ADF meets AS
Point K Underemployment equilibrium — where ADU meets AS (output is less)
OM Full employment level of output on the X-axis
GK (↕ arrow) The Deflationary Gap — measured vertically at output level OM
The gap GK shows how much more spending the economy needs to reach full employment. The greater the gap → worse the deflation.
GK is a vertical gap measured at point OM — NOT a horizontal distance.
CISCE: Class 12

Consequences of Excess Demand

Step 1 — Output Does NOT Increase
When AD rises beyond full employment, output stays fixed at OL. All workers, machines, and resources are already fully used. There is nothing left idle to produce more.
Step 2 — Excess Purchasing Pressure
Since the supply of goods and services remains constant, but everyone is trying to buy more, there is a rush of buyers chasing the same amount of goods.
Step 3 — Prices Rise
This excess pressure of buying on fixed supplies causes prices to rise. This is inflation.
Step 4 — Inflationary Spiral
Higher prices increase production costs (wages and raw materials go up). Firms raise prices further. This creates a self-feeding cycle — prices keep rising even more.

CISCE: Class 12

Diagrammatic Explanation

Element What It Represents
X-axis Income / Output / Employment
Y-axis Price Level (P) — not AD this time!
AS (vertical line at L) Output is fixed at full employment level OL — cannot increase
ADF Original AD — economy at full employment, price level at P₂
ADE New higher AD (excess demand) — price level rises to P₁
OL Full employment output — stays constant even when demand rises
P₁ > P₂ Price level goes up — this is inflation

When the economy is already at full employment, more demand does NOT create more output. It only raises prices.
AD is downward sloping here because the Y-axis is the Price Level (not income). A higher price level reduces real purchasing power, so AD slopes downward.

CISCE: Class 12

Key Points: Deflationary Gap

  • Deflationary gap arises due to deficient aggregate demand, leading to low output, income, and employment.
  • It is the difference between aggregate demand required for full employment (ADF) and actual aggregate demand at underemployment (ADU).
  • Deflationary Gap = ADF − ADU.
  • A larger deflationary gap means greater deflationary pressure in the economy.

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