Course 2008-2009 a.y.

Go to class group/s: 31

DIEM (6 credits - I sem. - AI)

Course Director:
ALESSANDRA CASARICO

Course Objectives

• To give students an appreciation of the analytical methods in economics for the study of the public sector and the role of the State in principle and in practice, with an international perspective.
• To provide a thorough grounding in the principles underlying the role of the state, the design of social insurance and the welfare state and the design of the tax system.
• To enable students to understand the practical problems involved in implementing these principles.

By the end of the course the students should be able to:

• critically discuss key issues in public economics;

demonstrate familiarity with a range of policy issues and relevant analytical tools.

Course Content Summary

• Introduction: reasons for state intervention
• Equity and efficiency
• Public goods
• Externalities
• Asymmetric information
• Public choice
• Government failures
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Tax incidence and efficiency
• Intertemporal issues in taxation
• Tax and labor
• Income inequality and poverty
• The Welfare State
• Pensions and ageing

Healthcare

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

L'esame è esclusivamente in forma scritta. Sarà prevista la possibilità di un esame intermedio.

L'esame sarà strutturato in 6 domande, tutte con il medesimo ammontare di crediti. Non c'è differenza tra esame per frequentanti e per non frequentanti.

Textbooks

• S. CONNOLLY, A. MUNRO, Economics of the Public Sector, FT Prentice Hall, 1999.
• P. PESTIEAU, The Welfare State in the European Union Economic and Social Perspectives, Oxford University Press, 2006

Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library)

Prerequisites

A knowledge of principle of microeconomics is required

Last change 26/07/2008 12:16