Question

Why does the​ trade-off between consumption goods and capital goods represent a​ trade-off between the present and the​ future?

Answer 1

Consumption goods refers to spending the money on goods in present.

Capital goods requires investment and invest come from savings. And saving comes by forgoing present consumption.

Therefore, consumption good represent present and capital goods represent future.

If we are spending all our money on consumption goods it means forgoing future benefits and when we are making savings out of present consumption. Then we are forgoing present benefit for future.

That's why our choice between consumption goods and capital goods can be termed as tradeoff between present and future.