4.英国经济研究报告.ppt

Economy of the UK Contents Britain was the first country to start the industrial revolution in the 18th century. Britain is a capitalism country. What is the main characteristic of capitalism？ The characteristic of the economic system of capitalism is that it protects private enterprises. How long is the market economy in the UK? Britain began its market economy about 300 years ago. Britain is a trading nation. (Why?) In Britain, the domestic market is limited. So, it has to find more markets outside the country. It has to find more markets in the world. Eg. Each year Britain exports some one-third of its gross domestic product. It is the fourth largest exporter in the world. Its exports account for about 5% of the world’s total trade volume. Britain is also one of the world’s largest importers. (Why?) Because Britain lacks raw materials. Its home supply of raw materials is inadequate, Britain has to buy up a large proportion of the raw materials sold in the world market. Britain’s major trading partners are industrialized countries. The British economy is often described as an Anglo-Saxon economy. It is made up of the economies of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK has been a member state of the European Union (EU) since 1973. absolute and relative decline of the British Economy What is absolute decline? What is relative decline? Does British economy belong to the former one or the latter one? absolute decline By the 1880s the British economy was dominant in the world, producing one third of the world’s manufactured goods, half its coal and iron, half its cotton. The amount of British shipping was greater than that in the rest of the world put together. But by 1900, it was overtaken by both the U.S and Germany. relative decline From 1945 (the year when WWII ended) until present, UK economy is thought of as relative decline because of steady economic growth and rapidly increasing living standard