Sometimes Free Markets may result in undesirable outcomes.
Governments may have reasons for imposing taxes, subsidies and P controls, but because they all disrupt normal market forces, they advantage and disadvantage the various market players differently.
Essential Questions:
1. Why do governments impose taxes and what are the consequences?
2. Why do governments impose subsidies and what are the consequences?
3. Why do governments impose P controls and what are the consequences?
IB Syllabus goals:
1. Indirect Taxes: Specific (fixed amount) taxes and ad valorem (percentage) taxes and their impact on markets
• Distinguish between specific and ad valorem taxes.
• Draw diagrams to show specific and ad valorem taxes, and analyse their impacts on market outcomes.
• Discuss the consequences of imposing an indirect tax on the stakeholders in a market, including consumers, producers and the government.
HL Requirements:
- Explain, using diagrams, how the incidence of indirect taxes on consumers and firms differs, depending on the price elasticity of demand on the price elasticity of supply.
- Illustrate and/or calculate the effects of the imposition of a specific tax on the market (on price, quantity, consumer expenditure, producer revenue, government revenue, consumer surplus and producer surplus).
2. Subsidies: Impact on markets
• Explain why governments provide subsidies, and describe examples of subsidies.
• Draw a diagram to show a subsidy, and analyse the impacts of a subsidy on market outcomes.
• Discuss the consequences of providing a subsidy on the stakeholders in a market, including consumers, producers and the government.
HL Requirements:
- Illustrate and/or calculate the effects of the provision of a subsidy on the market (on price, quantity, consumer expenditure, producer revenue, government expenditure, consumer surplus and producer surplus).
• Explain why governments impose price ceilings, and describe examples of price ceilings, including food price controls and rent controls.
• Draw a diagram to show a price ceiling, and analyse the impacts of a price ceiling on market outcomes.
• Examine the possible consequences of a price ceiling, including shortages, inefficient resource allocation, welfare impacts, underground parallel markets and non-price rationing mechanisms.
• Discuss the consequences of imposing a price ceiling on the stakeholders in a market, including consumers, producers and the government.
HL Requirements:
- Calculate possible effects from the price ceiling diagram, including the resulting shortage and the change in consumer expenditure (which is equal to the change in firm revenue).
4. Price floors (minimum prices): rationale, consequences and examples
• Explain why governments impose price floors, and describe examples of price floors, including price support for agricultural products and minimum wages.
• Draw a diagram of a price floor, and analyse the impacts of a price floor on market outcomes.
• Examine the possible consequences of a price floor, including surpluses and government measures to dispose of the surpluses, inefficient resource allocation and welfare impacts.
• Discuss the consequences of imposing a price floor on the stakeholders in a market, including consumers, producers and the government.
HL Requirements:
- Calculate the possible effects from the price floor diagram, including the resulting surplus, the change in consumer expenditure, the change in producer revenue, and government expenditure to purchase the surplus.
Part 1: Intro to Government Intervention: Taxes and Subsidies
• Distinguish between specific and ad valorem taxes.
• Draw diagrams to show specific and ad valorem taxes, and analyse their impacts on market outcomes.
• Discuss the consequences of imposing an indirect tax on the stakeholders in a market, including consumers, producers and the government.
HL Requirements:
- Explain, using diagrams, how the incidence of indirect taxes on consumers and firms differs, depending on the price elasticity of demand on the price elasticity of supply.
- Draw demand and supply curves for a product and then illustrate and/or calculate the effects of the imposition of a specific tax on the market (on price, quantity, consumer expenditure, producer revenue, government revenue, consumer surplus and producer surplus).
1.3A - Taxes.pptx
Activity 2: Students to complete worksheet “1.3A - Graphing a Tax” – go over answers.
Exit Slip: • Discuss the consequences of imposing an indirect tax on the stakeholders in a market, including consumers, producers and the government.
1.3B - HL -Tax Incidence & PED.pptx
Optional Extra Review:
Effect of an Excise tax on a product with inelastic demand: Cigarettes (Welker)
1. Explain why governments impose price ceilings, and describe examples of price ceilings, including food price controls and rent controls.
2. Draw a diagram to show a price ceiling, and analyse the impacts of a price ceiling on market outcomes.
3. Examine the possible consequences of a price ceiling, including shortages, inefficient resource allocation, welfare impacts, underground parallel markets and non-price rationing mechanisms.
4. Discuss the consequences of imposing a price ceiling on the stakeholders in a market, including consumers, producers and the government.
1.3D - P Controls.pptx
Basic Math Practice
Students to complete “1.3D – Understanding Price Ceilings and Floors” (print)
Part 2 – Graphing P Controls Students to complete “1.3D – Graphing P Controls” (print)
1. a. Explain the possible effect on consumers and producers when a specific tax is imposed on cigarettes. (10 marks)
b. Evaluate the possible outcomes of imposing such a tax (15 marks)
2. a Explain why a government might grant a subsidy to the producers of wheat.
b. Discuss the consequences of such a subsidy.
Day 7: Exam!
TOK Connections from IB Syllabus:
1. In what sense are we morally obliged to pay taxes? Is this the result of a promise that we have made ourselves? When was this promise made? (Make a distinction here between moral and legal obligations.)
2. To what extent is government morally obliged to provide healthcare and welfare benefits to the unemployed?