Public Economics

S. Resnjanskij

 

 

Content: 

The Government is instrumental in most aspects of the economic life.  It provides a regulatory structure, charges taxes, and finances public goods and the welfare state (i.e., the education system, retirement benefits, health care, income support).

Public economics studies to role of the Government in a market economy.  The lecture starts with a discussion on reasons that may or may not justify government policies (in particular, improving efficiency and the reduction of inequality).  The Government needs to collect taxes to finance public policies.  Hence, the theory of taxation and related empirical evidence will be an instrumental part in this lecture.  Government expenditures on social insurance and public goods, and a discussion of further topics will conclude the lecture.

List of Topic´s (Preliminary):

  1. Introduction
    • When is Government intervention necessary?
    • Inequality – Concepts, Measurement, and Evidence
  2. Taxes
    • Tax Incidence
    • Efficiency Cost of Taxation
    • Optimal Taxation
    • Income Taxation and Labor Supply
    • Capital Taxation
  3. Government Expenditures & Policies
    • Social Insurance
    • Public Goods and Externalities
    • Further Topics: Education Policy, Behavioral Public Economics, Discrimination

Organizational Details:

  • Course materials will be provided on the course website (ILIAS).
  • First lecture: April 8th, 2024; 13:30 – 15:00 in room F424
  • weekly: Wednesday, 13:30 - 15:00 in room F424
  • Exam: Mi, 19.06.2024, time: tba, Room: tba

ZEuS link 

Tutorial:

  • weekly: Wednesday, 13:30 – 15:00 in room F424