經濟學入門需要知道的4個知識大綱

In short, economics is the study of how people and groups of people use their resources.
簡單地講，經濟學這門學科研究的是人們以及不同的羣體如何利用他們手上的資源。

Money certainly is one of those resources, but other things can play a role in economics as well.
金錢顯然就是其中一種資源，但很多其他東西也在經濟學中佔有一席之地。

In an attempt to clarify all this, let's take a look at the basics of economics and why you might consider studying this complex field.
爲了講清楚這些，我們來看看經濟學裏的一些基礎知識點吧，然後說說你爲什麼應該考慮研究這個複雜的領域。

The Field of Economics
經濟學的研究範圍

Economics is divided into two general categories: microeconomics and macroeconomics. One looks at the individual markets while the other looks at an entire economy.
經濟學被分爲兩個主要的領域：微觀經濟學和宏觀經濟學。前者研究的是個人面對的市場，後者研究的是整體經濟環境。

From there, we can narrow economics into a number of subfields of study.
由此，我們可以把經濟學進一步細化爲數個子領域來研究。

These include econometrics, economic development, agricultural economics, urban economics, and much more.
他們包括計量經濟學、經濟增長、農業經濟學、城市經濟學以及很多其他領域。

If you have an interest in how the world works and how financial markets or industry outlooks affect the economy, you might consider studying economics.
如果你想知道世界是如何運作的，想知道金融市場和各行各業的大環境如何影響經濟，你可以考慮學一學經濟學。

It's a fascinating field and has career potential in a number of disciplines, from finance to sales to the government.
這是一個引人入勝的領域，而且能提供很多領域的就業機會，包括金融、銷售、政府部門等。

Two Essential Concepts of Economics
經濟學的兩個核心概念

Much of what we study in economics has to do with money and the markets.
我們在經濟學中學的大部分東西都和錢與市場有關。

What are people willing to pay for something?
人們願意爲一個東西付多大的代價？

Is one industry doing better than another?
這個行業的表現是不是比那個更好？

What is the economic future of the country or world?
這個國家或者全世界的經濟前景如何？

These are important questions e conomists examine and it comes with a few basic terms.
這都是經濟學家研究的重要問題，而他們誕生出了幾個基本的概念。

Supply and Demand is one of the first things we learn in economics.
供給與需求就是我們在經濟學中最早學到的概念之一。

Supply speaks to the quantity of something that's available for sale while demand refers to the willingness to purchase it.
供給指的是一種東西可供售賣的數量，而需求指的是人們購買這個東西的意願。

If the supply is higher than the demand, the market is thrown off balance and costs typically decrease.
如果供給高於需求，市場就脫離了平衡狀態，成本通常會下降。

The opposite is true if demand is greater than the supply available because that commodity is more desirable and harder to obtain.
而如果需求高於供給，比如因爲某樣產品有更多人想要，或者某樣產品變得更難獲得，那麼就會發生相反的情況。

Elasticity is another key concept in economics.
價格彈性是經濟學中的另一個關鍵概念。

Essentially, here we're talking about how much the price of something can fluctuate before it has a negative impact on sales.
從根本上講，我們在這要說的是在一個東西的價格變化對其銷量造成負面影響之前，它的價格能變動多少。

Elasticity ties into demand and some products and services are more elastic than others.
價格彈性與需求是密不可分的，有些產品或服務比其他的東西擁有更高的彈性。

Understanding the Financial Markets
理解金融市場

As you might expect, many of the factors that play into economics have to do with the financial markets.
正如你可能想的一樣，經濟學中的很多要素都與金融市場有關。

This is also a complicated matter with many subtopics that you can dive into.
這也是個有很多子話題可供研究的複雜領域。

First and foremost, it's important to understand how prices are set in a market economy. At the heart of this is information and what is known as a contingent contract.
首先，有個很重要的點需要了解，那就是市場經濟中的價格是如何確定的。這其中最核心的兩個要素就是信息以及所謂的或有合約。

Essentially, this type of arrangement places stipulations on the price paid based on external factors: if X happens, then I'll pay this much.
從根源上講，是這樣的體系爲價格的確定給出了規則，讓我們得以根據外部因素來確定價格：如果某件特定的事發生，那我就會付這麼多。

One question that many investors have is "What happens to my money when stock prices go down?"
很多投資者會問的一個問題是“當股價下跌的時候，我的錢去哪裏了？”

The answer is not easy, and before you dive into the stock market, it's essential that you know how it works.
這個問題回答起來並不容易，而在你投身股市之前，有必要先弄明白它是如何運作的。

To further complicate things, economic situations like a recession can throw many things off.
有些時候事情會變得更加複雜，比如衰退一類的經濟狀況，它會讓很多東西都亂套。

For instance, just because an economy goes into recession, doesn't mean that prices will fall.
比如，當經濟衰退的時候，價格並不一定會下降。

In fact, it's the opposite for things like housing. Quite often, prices go up because supply is down and demand is up. This rise in prices is known as inflation.
實際上，對於房市來說恰好相反。通常由於供給下降而需求升高，價格會上漲。這種上漲就是我們所知的通貨膨脹。

Interest Rates and Exchange Rates
利率與匯率

Interest rates and exchange rates also cause fluctuations in the markets.
利率與匯率也會給市場帶來波動。

You will often hear e conomists express concern over these. When interest rates go down, people tend to buy and borrow more. Yet, this can cause interest rates to rise in the end.
你會經常聽到經濟學家們對此發表關切。當利率降低的時候，人們傾向於買更多的東西、借更多的錢。而這最終會導致利率升高。

Exchange rates refer to how the currency of one country compares to those of another. These are key components in the global economy.
匯率指的是一個國家的貨幣相較於其他國家的貨幣值多少錢。這是國際經濟中的一個關鍵要素。

Other terms you'll hear in reference to the markets are opportunity costs, cost measures, and monopolies. Each is a key element in understanding the overall economic forecast.
你會聽到的其他一些關於市場的概念包括機會成本、成本計量、壟斷，每一個對於你理解宏觀經濟預測來說都是很關鍵的元素。

And we will talk about them in detail in the future.
這些我們以後再詳細講。