The role of government in society is examined using the tools and methods of microeconomics. Topics include welfare economics, public goods, externalities, optimal taxation and voting models.
This paper discusses examines the ways government interventions affect the economy. The paper begins with an empirical and theoretical overview of government expenditure programmes in OECD countries. It then develops microeconomic, acroeconomic, and statistical tools to explores several issues including institutional economics and public choice theory; income redistribution within cohorts and between cohorts; social security and retirement income; tax policies, government finance (debt and asset positions); and environmental externalities.
Some of the material will involve the use of basic statistical and econometric techniques that will be taught in class using standard spreadsheet software.
| Paper title | Public Economics |
|---|---|
| Paper code | ECON308 |
| Subject | Economics |
| EFTS | 0.1500 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Second Semester |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $863.25 |
| International Tuition Fees (NZD) | $4,276.80 |
- Prerequisite
- ECON 201 or ECON 271
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music, Commerce, Science
- Contact
- economics@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
- View more information about ECON 308
- Teaching staff
- Textbooks
- Joel Slemrod and John Bakija (2017) Taxing Ourselves, 5th edition.(MIT Press)
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship,
Critical thinking, Ethics, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this paper, you should be able to:
- Develop an appreciation of the reasons for a public sector in a market-oriented economy;
- Apply economic analysis to understand the macro- and microeconomic implications of different public sector interventions in the economy; and
- Understand specific problems arising in certain areas of public-sector activity.
