Which branch uses objective analysis to describe how things are in the world?

• A. Positive economics
• B. Normative economics
• C. Economics
• D. Economy

Answer: (A)

Positive economics uses objective analysis to describe how things are in the world. It focuses on facts, data, and testable relationships to explain economic phenomena and predict outcomes without making value judgments about what should be done. For example, it would study how a price change affects demand or how unemployment relates to inflation, all in terms of observable evidence.

Normative economics, by contrast, involves judgments about what ought to be done, such as whether a minimum wage should be raised. The broader field of economics is the discipline, while the economy refers to the actual system of production and consumption. So the branch that best fits “objective analysis to describe how things are” is positive economics.