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With the real wage on the vertical axis and u on the horizontal axis, we know that

A. WS curve is downward sloping
B. PS curve is upward sloping
C. PS curve is downward sloping
D. WS curve is upward sloping

User Wendella
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Final answer:

Option B is correct; the PS curve is upward sloping. This reflects how businesses set product prices, influencing their demand for labor and wage-setting.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the relationship between real wages and unemployment, as reflected in different economic curves, specifically in labor market economics. The correct answer to the question is that the PS (Price Setting) curve is upward sloping, meaning option B is correct. The PS curve relates to how businesses react to changing economic conditions in setting their product prices, which in turn influences their demand for labor and thus wage-setting. The WS (Wage Setting) curve, on the other hand, reflects how wages adjust to ensure labor market equilibrium. The labor supply curve is specifically important in understanding the WS curve because, typically, the supply of labor is upward sloping, indicating that as real wages increase, the quantity of labor supplied also increases. However, there exist instances where the labor supply curve can bend backward, meaning that beyond a certain wage level, higher wages can lead to a decrease in the quantity of labor supplied.



It's important to also consider the Phillips Curve in this context. The short-run Phillips Curve is typically downward sloping, showing an inverse trade-off between higher unemployment and lower inflation rates. However, the long-run Phillips Curve, which reflects the natural rate of unemployment, is vertical. This aligns with economic theory that, in the long run, there is no trade-off between inflation and unemployment.

User Swistak
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