Grade 6 · Social Studies · Lesson 17

Economic systems compared

Every country must answer three economic questions: what to produce, how to produce it, and who receives what is produced. The way a country answers these questions defines its economic system. Across the world, four broad systems are recognized — traditional, command, market, and mixed. Most countries today are mixed economies, blending the strengths of more than one approach.

What this lesson teaches

1Describe the four main economic systems — traditional, command, market, and mixed
2Identify real-world countries that follow each economic system
3Compare how each system answers what to produce, how to produce, and who receives the output
4Explain why most modern countries operate as mixed economies

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