Posted: September 4th, 2023

What is public finance? Discuss the scope or subject matter of public finance

Public Finance Assignment Question and Answer Online

Assignment Details:-

Topic – Public Finance
Number of Words: 1500

QUESTION 1
What is public finance? Discuss the scope or subject matter of public finance.

QUESTION 2
With the help of a graph explain the negative production and positive consumption externalities and give one example for each?

QUESTION 3
As of 2016 up to date, the Namibian government has been experiencing fiscal problems, and tax revenues were falling short of planned expenditures. What factors can influence state revenue collections and expenditures? Explain why state governments must cut spending or increase taxes when revenues fall short of expenditures.

QUESTION 4
2.2 Use a suitable illustration to explain how aggregate demand for private products is derived

ANSWER 1

Public finance refers to the study of the role of the government in the economy, with a focus on the management of public resources. It involves the study of how governments raise revenue, allocate resources, and manage expenditures to achieve economic and social objectives. Public finance deals with the financial operations of the government, including taxation, borrowing, public expenditures, public debt, and monetary policy.

The scope or subject matter of public finance can be broadly classified into three categories: public revenue, public expenditure, and public debt. Public revenue includes all the income that the government earns from taxes, fees, fines, and other sources. Public expenditure refers to the various types of expenditures that the government incurs in order to achieve its objectives. These can be categorized as social expenditure, economic expenditure, and defense expenditure. Public debt refers to the amount of money that the government borrows to finance its expenditures.

Public finance also deals with the study of fiscal policy, which involves the use of government spending and taxation to influence the economy. Fiscal policy can be used to stabilize the economy by promoting economic growth, reducing inflation, and controlling unemployment. Public finance also includes the study of public goods and externalities, which are goods and services that are not provided by the market and have a positive or negative impact on society.

ANSWER 2

Externalities are costs or benefits that are not accounted for by the parties involved in a transaction. Negative production externalities occur when the production of a good or service has a negative impact on society. Positive consumption externalities occur when the consumption of a good or service has a positive impact on society. The following graph explains the concept of negative production and positive consumption externalities:

Graph for negative production externality:

[Insert graph with X-axis (quantity) and Y-axis (price). The supply curve should be higher than the marginal social cost curve, indicating that the production of the good creates a negative externality on society. The demand curve should be at its usual position.]

In the above graph, the supply curve represents the private cost of production, which is lower than the marginal social cost of production. This is because the production of the good creates a negative externality, such as pollution or congestion, which is not accounted for in the private cost. As a result, the quantity produced is higher and the price is lower than the socially optimal level.

Example of negative production externality:

Air pollution from factories is a negative production externality. The production of goods by factories emits pollutants into the air, which can harm the health of nearby residents. The cost of this pollution is not borne by the factories, but by the residents who suffer from health problems. This creates a market failure, as the true cost of production is not reflected in the price of the goods.

Graph for positive consumption externality:

[Insert graph with X-axis (quantity) and Y-axis (price). The demand curve should be higher than the marginal social benefit curve, indicating that the consumption of the good creates a positive externality on society. The supply curve should be at its usual position.]

In the above graph, the demand curve represents the private benefit of consumption, which is lower than the marginal social benefit of consumption. This is because the consumption of the good creates a positive externality, such as education or vaccination, which benefits society as a whole. As a result, the quantity consumed is lower and the price is higher than the socially optimal level.

Example of positive consumption externality:

Education is a positive consumption externality. When an individual receives education, not only do they benefit, but society as a whole benefits from the increased productivity and innovation that comes with an educated workforce. The cost of education is borne by the individual, but the benefits are enjoyed by society as a whole. This creates a market failure,

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