PUBLIC ECONOMICS

Anno accademico 2017/2018 - 3° anno
Docente: Marco Ferdinando Martorana
Crediti: 9
SSD: SECS-P/03 - Scienza delle Finanze
Organizzazione didattica: 225 ore d'impegno totale, 165 di studio individuale, 60 di lezione frontale
Semestre:
ENGLISH VERSION

Obiettivi formativi

1.(Knowledge and understanding) To supply the analytical knowledge needed to understand the fundaments of public intervention and its effects on the allocation and distribution of resources, with a specific focus on the Italian institutional context.

2. (Applying knowledge and understanding) To provide the students with the methodological instruments that are useful for the application of what is learned on the economics of the public sector to the professional work, in order to facilitate the access to the job market.

3. (Making judgments) To instruct the students on the utilization and interpretation of micro and macro data in order to facilitate autonomous analytical abilities.

4. (Communication skills) To favor the ability of exposition of personal opinions to experts as well as a non-specialized public.

5. (Learning skills) To guarantee an amount of learning sufficient to join a course study of a higher level, especially in the fields of public policy and administration


Prerequisiti richiesti

None. A basic knowledge of consumer theory and theory of the firm is useful for a better and faster learning


Frequenza lezioni

Strongly suggested but not mandatory


Contenuti del corso

Public intervention, normative and positive analysis. State functions. * Fundaments of welfare economics, market failure and reasons for public intervention. *Political Economy. Cost-benefit analysis. Income redistribution. *Tax incidence, taxation and efficiency; income taxation and its effects; corporate taxes; consumption taxes. Analysis of public expenditure. *Welfare and pension system in Italy. *The public budget. * Deficit, fiscal policy and European governance. *Fiscal federalism. *Local public finance.


Testi di riferimento

H. S. Rosen, T. Gayer. Public Finance. 10th Global Edition



Programmazione del corso

 *ArgomentiRiferimenti testi
1 Introduction to the course. Tools of positive analysis Chapters 1-2 
2*Tools of normative analysisChapter 3 
3*Fundaments of welfare economics. Efficiency conditionsChapter 3 
4 Market failuresChapter 4 
5*Public goods -normative analysisChapter 4 
6*Public goods - positive analysisChapter 4 
7*Political economy - Direct democracy Chapter 6 
8*Political economy - Representative democracyChapter 6 
9*Political economy - Government growth and other issues Chapter 6 
10 Income redistribution: conceptual issuesChapter 12 
11*Social welfare functionsChapter 12 
12 Cost-benefit analysisChapter 8 
13*Proportional and progressive taxation - deductions and tax creditsChapters 14 - 17  
14*Tax incidence in partial equilibrium - Taxation in a monopoly Chapter 14 
15*Taxation and efficiency – eccess burden Chapter 15 
16*Trade-off between equity and efficiencyChapter 16 
17*Classification of public revenuesChapter 18 
18*Personal taxation and behaviorChapter 18 
19 The Corporation taxChapter 19 
20*Taxes on consumptionChapter 21 
21*Deficit financeChapter 20 
22 Public expenditures, direct provision and public sector efficiencyHandouts 
23 Health care marketChapter 9 - pp. 176-193 
24 Health expendituresChapter 10 - pp.201-206 
25 Social security and programs for the poorChapter 11 - pp.222-243 
26 Unemployment policiesChapter 13 - pp.273-280; 289-292 
27 European governance and fiscal policies Handouts 
28*Fiscal federalismChapter 22 
29*Second generation federalismChapter 22 
30*Local public financeChapter 22 
* Conoscenze minime irrinunciabili per il superamento dell'esame.

N.B. La conoscenza degli argomenti contrassegnati con l'asterisco è condizione necessaria ma non sufficiente per il superamento dell'esame. Rispondere in maniera sufficiente o anche più che sufficiente alle domande su tali argomenti non assicura, pertanto, il superamento dell'esame.

Verifica dell'apprendimento

Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento

Written test. Students are required to answer 4 open-ended questions, chosen on a set of 6.


Esempi di domande e/o esercizi frequenti

1. Efficiency condition with public goods
2. Median voter theorem and applications to large elections
3. Describe the criteria for project evaluation and three methods of cost-benefit analysis
4. describe and discuss the Oates' decentralization theorem
5. Discuss the problem of the burden of public debt
6. Tax incidence in perfect competition
7. Tax incidence in monopoly
8. Describe the effects of deductions and tax credits on progressiveness
9. Effects of personal taxation on labor supply
10. Discuss and compare the utilitarian and the Maximin Social welfare functions