Alevel经济考试中的Essay题是大多数同学公认的最难的一部分，同时也是分值非常大的一部分。   以CAIE考试局为例，AS经济考试中总分值为70分，Essay题就占20分。

A2考试中，总分值为100分，Essay题为25分。由此可见，Essay题答的好坏，直接决定了我们的最终成绩。

Alevel经济Essay真的有那么难吗？菌菌想说其实并没有你想的那么难，只要能答对相应的点，并且能够从两方面（或多方面）进行有理有据地分析，基本上都能得分。     好啦，今天就通过一道Alevel经济题目来给大家讲解下Essay答题的思路和方法，还附有提纲，以供大家参考。  

题目与答题思路分析：

题目：Assess policies that might be most effective in reducing the size of the UK current account deficit in the future.

这道题目要求我们评价一下未来可以最有效的减轻英国Current Account赤字的政策。

首先我们来复习一下这个AS宏观部分非常重要的知识点：current account deficit，想要回答这道题目，我们要清楚地明白一个非常关键的问题：current account deficit赤字是如何形成的？

关于这个问题，一张课件截图已经为大家总结好了current account赤字的定义，以及其产生的几个主要原因：

 

Current account deficit赤字形成的几个主要原因包括：

国内经济发展迅速，因此对于进口原材料和设备的需求增加（进口增加），与此同时，国内的高需求使得很多原本要出口的商品选择了出口转内销（出口减少）。

贸易伙伴国经济发展减缓或者陷入衰退，导致对本国出口商品需求减少（出口减少）。

结构性问题，说明本国产品不具备国际竞争力（进口较多，出口较少）。

复习完这个知识点，我们接下来需要思考的就是如何答题了。题目要我们评价current account赤字的政策，首先我们要想想哪些政策可以减轻current account deficit。   根据我们学过的知识点和刚刚对current account deficit产生的原因分析，我们分析以下两点政策： （注：相关政策不只有这两个，只要按照这个思路，有理有据地分析，都是可以得分的哦）   政策1： 通过增加直接税收direct tax税率来降aggregate demand，以减少对进口商品的需求。（利弊都要分析）   政策2： 通过降利率interest rate，以及对货币市场干预等政策达到降低汇率的目的，以减少进口，增加出口。（利弊都要分析）。   这两点具体怎么答呢？我们来看看下边详细的答题提纲。  

Essay plan 提纲

注意：以下给出的是回答该题目的答题思路和提纲，不是范文，可以作为答题参考，切勿在考试中直接引用原文。

Point 1：增加直接税收税率

One demand-side policy is a rise in direct taxation – e.g. increase in income tax – reduces real disposable income – causing contraction in household spending – reduces demand for imports (expenditure-reducing effects) – assuming that the value of exports remains the same - this will lead to an improvement in net trade which is a component of the current account.

Evaluation of Point 1

Higher direct taxes are not always effective in reducing spending – people may view tax hikes as temporary – and choose to maintain spending by reducing their savings out of disposable income. Reduced consumer spending could also lead to a fall in planned investment which could then hinder the productive capacity of businesses that export.

Point 2: 降利率

A second approach might be for the Bank of England to try achieve a competitive depreciation of sterling e.g. by keeping interest rates lower, expanding QE or by direct intervention in currency markets. Weaker pound increases imorts prices and makes exports more competitive (in $s etc) – leading to expenditure-switching effects and an improvement in net trade providing that the Marshall-Lerner condition is met.

Evaluation of Point 2

The main causes of current account deficit are likely to be structural (e.g. linked to a persistent productivity gap) rather than due to an over-valued exchange rate. The majority of exports also require imports, so weaker £ increases costs of imported raw materials & components and also makes imported technology more expensive which can then hamper price competitiveness in the future.

CONCLUSION

Demand side policies carry risks (e.g. cuts in real living standards) and the option of a competitive devaluation is not available if the UK continues to operate a free-floating exchange rate system. Supply-side economic reforms can perhaps be more effective in the long run in helping to correct an external deficit. E.g. cuts in corporation tax designed to attract inward investment from overseas e.g. car manufacturing firms which then increases export volumes. Increased spending on STEM education and tax relief for research & development in emerging sectors such as life sciences can raise a country’s export potential in industries where global demand is likely to be strong in the years ahead.

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