2.1.2
Externalities
Externalities
Externalities
Externalities are the effects that producing or consuming goods have on other third parties or society as a whole. Buyers or producers do not consider externalities when making decisions. This can lead to market failure because goods or services can be under or over consumed.
Positive consumption externalities
Positive consumption externalities
- This is a 'good' externality created in the consumption of a good.
- The marginal social benefit is the total benefit of consuming a good or service to society. MSB = MPB + Externality.
- If the consumption externality is positive, then the marginal social benefit is more than the marginal private benefit.
- Consumers do not account for the benefit of the externality and this good will be under-consumed.
- E.g. school education is a positive consumption externality because students become more productive for employers.
Negative consumption externalities
Negative consumption externalities
- This is a 'bad' externality created in the consumption of goods/services (e.g cigarettes).
- The marginal social benefit is the total benefit of consuming a good or service to society. It is equal to the marginal private benefit plus the value of the consumption externality.
- If the consumption externality is negative, then the marginal social benefit is less than the marginal private benefit and the good will be overconsumed (vs the socially optimal level).
Positive production externalities
Positive production externalities
- These are externalities incurred when producing a good or service.
- Marginal social cost = Marginal private cost + Production externality. MSC is the total cost of producing a good or service to society.
- If the production externality is positive, then the social cost is less than the private cost and the good will be underproduced.
Negative production externalities
Negative production externalities
- These are externalities created when producing a good or service.
- If the production externality is negative, then the social cost is greater than the private cost and the good will be overproduced (vs the socially optimal level).
- E.g a factory producing noise and air pollution is likely to have a social cost larger than the private cost.
Costs and Benefits to Externalities
Costs and Benefits to Externalities
Externalities are created through an asymmetry of costs or benefits.
Definition of costs
Definition of costs
- Private cost:
- The cost to an individual in the market.
- External cost:
- A cost put on a third party due to a negative externality.
- Social cost:
- The cost to society due to a negative externality.
- Social cost = private cost + external cost.
Definition of benefits
Definition of benefits
- Private benefit:
- The benefit to an individual in the market.
- External benefit:
- The benefit a third party receives due to a positive externality.
- Social benefit:
- The benefit to society due to a positive externality.
- Social benefit = private benefit + external benefit.
1Introduction to Markets
1.1Nature of Economics
1.1.1Economics as a Social Science
1.1.2Positive & Normative Economic Statements
1.1.3The Economic Problem
1.1.4Resources
1.1.5Production Possibility Frontiers
1.1.6Specialisation & Division of Labour
1.1.7Types of Economies
1.1.8End of Topic Test - Nature of Economics
1.1.9Application Questions - Nature of Economics
1.2How Markets Work
1.2.1Rational Decision Making
1.2.2Demand
1.2.3Elasticities of Demand
1.2.4Elasticities of Demand 2
1.2.5Elasticity & Revenue
1.2.6Supply
1.2.7Elasticity of Supply
1.2.8Price Determination
1.2.9Price Mechanism
1.2.10Consumer & Producer Surplus
1.2.11Indirect Taxes & Subsidies
1.2.12A-A* (AO3/4) - Taxing Prices or Quantities?
1.2.13Alternative View of Consumer Behaviour
1.2.14End of Topic Test - Markets
1.2.15A-A* (AO3/4) - Markets
2Market Failure
2.1Market Failure
2.2Government Intervention
2.2.1Government Intervention in Markets
2.2.2Subsidies & Price Controls
2.2.3Pollution Permits & Regulation
2.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - European Emissions Trading
2.2.5State Provision & Information Provision
2.2.6Government Failure
2.2.7End of Topic Test - Government Intervention
2.2.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Government Intervention
3The UK Macroeconomy
3.1Measures of Economic Performance
3.1.1Measuring Economic Growth
3.1.2National Income Data
3.1.3Inflation
3.1.4Causes of Inflation
3.1.5Consequences of Inflation
3.1.6Employment & Unemployment
3.1.7Causes & Impact of Unemployment
3.1.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Hysteresis
3.1.9Balance of Payments
3.1.10Current Account Deficit & Imbalances
3.1.11End of Topic Test - Economic Performance
3.1.12Application Questions Macroeconomy
3.2Aggregate Demand
3.3Aggregate Supply
3.4National Income
4The UK Economy - Policies
4.1Macroeconomic Objectives & Policies
4.1.1Possible Objectives
4.1.2Demand-Side Policies - Monetary
4.1.3Demand-Side Policies - Monetary 2
4.1.4A-A* (AO3/4) - The Future of Interest Rates
4.1.5Demand-Side Policies - Fiscal
4.1.6Demand-Side Policies in 2007-08
4.1.7Strengths & Weaknesses of Demand Side
4.1.8Supply-Side Policies
4.1.9Supply-Side Policies 2
4.1.10Conflicts Between Objectives
4.1.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Conflicting Incentives
4.1.12Phillips Curve
4.1.13End of Topic Topic - Policies & Objectives
4.1.14Application Questions - UK Policies
5Business Behaviour
5.1Business Growth
5.2Business Objectives
6Market Structures
6.1Market Structures
6.1.1Efficiency
6.1.2Perfect Competition
6.1.3Perfect Competition 2
6.1.4Monopolistic Competition
6.1.5Oligopolies
6.1.6The Prisoner's Dilemma
6.1.7Collusion in Oligopolistic Markets
6.1.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Which Factors Affect Collusion?
6.1.9Monopolies
6.1.10Price Discrimination
6.1.11Monopsony
6.1.12A-A* (AO3/4) - Models in Economics
6.1.13Contestability
6.1.14Benefits of Contestability
6.1.15End of Topic Test - Market Structures
6.1.16Application Questions - Market Structures
6.1.17A-A* (AO3/4) - Cereal Collusion
6.2Labour Market
6.2.1Demand for Labour
6.2.2Supply of Labour
6.2.3Labour Market Imperfections
6.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Labour Productivity & Unemployment
6.2.5A-A* (AO3/4) - What Level of Unionisation is Good?
6.2.6Wage Determination
6.2.7Elasticity of Labour Supply & Demand
6.2.8Intervention in Setting Wages
6.2.9End of Topic Test - Labour Market
6.2.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Labour Markets
6.3Government Intervention
6.3.1Reasons for Government Intervention
6.3.2Government Promotion of Competition
6.3.3Usefulness of Competition Policy & Examples
6.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Modern Competition Policy
6.3.5Privatisation
6.3.6Government Regulation
6.3.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Nationalisation vs Privatisation
6.3.8Government Protection of Suppliers and Employees
6.3.9Impact of Government Intervention
6.3.10End of Topic Test - Government Intervention
6.3.11Application Questions - Government Intervention
7A Global Perspective
7.1International Economics - Globalisation & Trade
7.2International Economics - Currency
7.2.1Merged Currency
7.2.2Restrictions on Free Trade
7.2.3Arguments for Protectionism
7.2.4Arguments Against Protectionism
7.2.5Balance of Payments
7.2.6Balance of Payments 2
7.2.7Floating Exchange Rates
7.2.8Fixed Exchange Rate
7.2.9International Competitiveness
7.2.10End of Topic Test - International Economy
7.2.11Application Questions - International Economics
8Finance & Inequality
8.1Poverty & Inequality
8.2Emerging & Developing Economies
8.2.1Measures of Development
8.2.2Factors Influencing Growth & Development
8.2.3Barriers to Development
8.2.4Barriers to Development 2
8.2.5A-A* (AO3/4) - The Bottom Billion
8.2.6Development Strategies
8.2.7Interventionist Strategies
8.2.8Aid
8.2.9International Institutions
8.2.10International Institutions 2
8.2.11End of Topic Test - Emerging & Developing
8.2.12Application Questions - Developing Countries
8.3The Financial Sector
8.4Role of the State in the Macroeconomy
9Examples of Global Policy
9.1International Policies
Jump to other topics
1Introduction to Markets
1.1Nature of Economics
1.1.1Economics as a Social Science
1.1.2Positive & Normative Economic Statements
1.1.3The Economic Problem
1.1.4Resources
1.1.5Production Possibility Frontiers
1.1.6Specialisation & Division of Labour
1.1.7Types of Economies
1.1.8End of Topic Test - Nature of Economics
1.1.9Application Questions - Nature of Economics
1.2How Markets Work
1.2.1Rational Decision Making
1.2.2Demand
1.2.3Elasticities of Demand
1.2.4Elasticities of Demand 2
1.2.5Elasticity & Revenue
1.2.6Supply
1.2.7Elasticity of Supply
1.2.8Price Determination
1.2.9Price Mechanism
1.2.10Consumer & Producer Surplus
1.2.11Indirect Taxes & Subsidies
1.2.12A-A* (AO3/4) - Taxing Prices or Quantities?
1.2.13Alternative View of Consumer Behaviour
1.2.14End of Topic Test - Markets
1.2.15A-A* (AO3/4) - Markets
2Market Failure
2.1Market Failure
2.2Government Intervention
2.2.1Government Intervention in Markets
2.2.2Subsidies & Price Controls
2.2.3Pollution Permits & Regulation
2.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - European Emissions Trading
2.2.5State Provision & Information Provision
2.2.6Government Failure
2.2.7End of Topic Test - Government Intervention
2.2.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Government Intervention
3The UK Macroeconomy
3.1Measures of Economic Performance
3.1.1Measuring Economic Growth
3.1.2National Income Data
3.1.3Inflation
3.1.4Causes of Inflation
3.1.5Consequences of Inflation
3.1.6Employment & Unemployment
3.1.7Causes & Impact of Unemployment
3.1.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Hysteresis
3.1.9Balance of Payments
3.1.10Current Account Deficit & Imbalances
3.1.11End of Topic Test - Economic Performance
3.1.12Application Questions Macroeconomy
3.2Aggregate Demand
3.3Aggregate Supply
3.4National Income
4The UK Economy - Policies
4.1Macroeconomic Objectives & Policies
4.1.1Possible Objectives
4.1.2Demand-Side Policies - Monetary
4.1.3Demand-Side Policies - Monetary 2
4.1.4A-A* (AO3/4) - The Future of Interest Rates
4.1.5Demand-Side Policies - Fiscal
4.1.6Demand-Side Policies in 2007-08
4.1.7Strengths & Weaknesses of Demand Side
4.1.8Supply-Side Policies
4.1.9Supply-Side Policies 2
4.1.10Conflicts Between Objectives
4.1.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Conflicting Incentives
4.1.12Phillips Curve
4.1.13End of Topic Topic - Policies & Objectives
4.1.14Application Questions - UK Policies
5Business Behaviour
5.1Business Growth
5.2Business Objectives
6Market Structures
6.1Market Structures
6.1.1Efficiency
6.1.2Perfect Competition
6.1.3Perfect Competition 2
6.1.4Monopolistic Competition
6.1.5Oligopolies
6.1.6The Prisoner's Dilemma
6.1.7Collusion in Oligopolistic Markets
6.1.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Which Factors Affect Collusion?
6.1.9Monopolies
6.1.10Price Discrimination
6.1.11Monopsony
6.1.12A-A* (AO3/4) - Models in Economics
6.1.13Contestability
6.1.14Benefits of Contestability
6.1.15End of Topic Test - Market Structures
6.1.16Application Questions - Market Structures
6.1.17A-A* (AO3/4) - Cereal Collusion
6.2Labour Market
6.2.1Demand for Labour
6.2.2Supply of Labour
6.2.3Labour Market Imperfections
6.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Labour Productivity & Unemployment
6.2.5A-A* (AO3/4) - What Level of Unionisation is Good?
6.2.6Wage Determination
6.2.7Elasticity of Labour Supply & Demand
6.2.8Intervention in Setting Wages
6.2.9End of Topic Test - Labour Market
6.2.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Labour Markets
6.3Government Intervention
6.3.1Reasons for Government Intervention
6.3.2Government Promotion of Competition
6.3.3Usefulness of Competition Policy & Examples
6.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Modern Competition Policy
6.3.5Privatisation
6.3.6Government Regulation
6.3.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Nationalisation vs Privatisation
6.3.8Government Protection of Suppliers and Employees
6.3.9Impact of Government Intervention
6.3.10End of Topic Test - Government Intervention
6.3.11Application Questions - Government Intervention
7A Global Perspective
7.1International Economics - Globalisation & Trade
7.2International Economics - Currency
7.2.1Merged Currency
7.2.2Restrictions on Free Trade
7.2.3Arguments for Protectionism
7.2.4Arguments Against Protectionism
7.2.5Balance of Payments
7.2.6Balance of Payments 2
7.2.7Floating Exchange Rates
7.2.8Fixed Exchange Rate
7.2.9International Competitiveness
7.2.10End of Topic Test - International Economy
7.2.11Application Questions - International Economics
8Finance & Inequality
8.1Poverty & Inequality
8.2Emerging & Developing Economies
8.2.1Measures of Development
8.2.2Factors Influencing Growth & Development
8.2.3Barriers to Development
8.2.4Barriers to Development 2
8.2.5A-A* (AO3/4) - The Bottom Billion
8.2.6Development Strategies
8.2.7Interventionist Strategies
8.2.8Aid
8.2.9International Institutions
8.2.10International Institutions 2
8.2.11End of Topic Test - Emerging & Developing
8.2.12Application Questions - Developing Countries
8.3The Financial Sector
8.4Role of the State in the Macroeconomy
9Examples of Global Policy
9.1International Policies
Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring
Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home
Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs
30+ school subjects covered