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Economics glossary · The macroeconomy

Marginal propensity to consume

What marginal propensity to consume means in economics, with an example and a question to test yourself.

Definition
Marginal propensity to consume
The marginal propensity to consume is the share of each extra pound of income that a person spends on consumption.
Not to be confused with: Multiplier
The multiplier is the ratio of the final change in real GDP to the initial change in spending that caused it.
Test yourself

What is the difference between marginal propensity to consume and multiplier?

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