Accumulation is a process of gradually gathering or amassing wealth, capital, or assets over time. This concept is central to various economic theories and practices, encompassing the accumulation of physical goods, financial assets, and capital goods. It often pertains to the investment of profits back into a business to buy more machinery, equipment, or inventory, thereby increasing the productive capacity of the economy.
In simple terms, think of accumulation like saving money in a piggy bank or building a bigger and complex set of LEGO structures over time. In economics, it is how businesses or individuals keep on adding to their wealth, assets, or resources and making them grow. Instead of spending all their earnings a portion of their earnings is reinvested to make even more money in the future.
Accumulation is a key concept in several economic areas, including macroeconomics, development economics, and financial economics. It is crucial for understanding economic growth, capital formation, and the expansion of production capacities within an economy. Economists study accumulation to analyze how investments and savings contribute to overall economic development and prosperity.
For example, a company reinvests its profits to buy new machinery, which increases its production capacity and leads to higher future profits. Similarly, an individual saves a portion of their income regularly to invest in stocks, bonds, or real estate, gradually building wealth over time.
Source: A to Z of Economics by Dr. NC Raghavi Chakravarthy