Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding
The course aims to provide students with the concepts and principles of public economy, considering the major recent advances that have characterized its research. It will provide students with knowledge related to different market structures, failures and public intervention, given strategical behaviors of firms and consumers, and related analysis on household welfare with micro-simulation.
Applying knowledge and understanding
The student will be able to discuss clearly, using appropriate arguments, possible proposals and reflections related and issues of various complexity in the sphere of public economics dealt with in the course, with reference, for example, to aspects efficiency and equity of taxes and public expenditures and related macroeconomic outcome (e.g. deficit debt, unemployment, inflation, and economic growth).
Making judgements
At the end of the course students will acquire the ability to critically interpret the main economic issues of public sector, and to use data and information to analyse household welfare.
Communication skills
Students will be able to communicate their own reflections on the issues analyzed in the course in an effective and appropriate way.
Learning skills
Through brief exposition and essays students will develop personal and appropriate method of study complex issues, and acquire the ability to critically evaluate economic reasonings.
Prerequisites
YES
Course unit content
PUBLIC INTERVENTION IN THE MARKETS
ASSESSMENT OF REDISTRIBUTIVE ACTIVITIES (TAXES AND EXPENDITURES)
MICROSIMULATION OF FISCAL POLICIES INEQUALITY AND POVERTY
Full programme
PUBLIC INTERVENTION IN THE MARKETS
Monopoly, oligopoly, public enterprises, entry and dynamic games, pricing and tariffs, price discrimination, regulation and incentives, privatization, liberalization and deregulation
ASSESSMENT OF REDISTRIBUTIVE ACTIVITIES
Inequality, poverty and development of the welfare state; concepts and measures of inequality and poverty; inequality beyond the welfare approach. Economic analysis of public expenditure in social security, health care and education, cost-benefit analysis, Taxes and redistributive effects
MICROSIMULATION OF FISCAL POLICIES INEQUALITY AND POVERTY
Dynamic microsimulation: advantages and limits; The MIND model; Description of the model, structure and validation and reliability of simulations. Evaluation of public policy; personal income taxation and trends in net income inequality and poverty; social security system and long-term indexation; income distribution and poverty among pensioners; child benefit and short, medium and long-term poverty; microsimulation of alternative measures and resulting trends.
MACRO FISCAL POLICIES
Economic analysis of public budgets, deficits and public debt
Bibliography
P. Vagliasindi INTERVENTO PUBBLICO EFFICIENZA ED EQUITÀ. EFFICIENZA ED EQUITÀ. Giappichelli Editore, 2008.
Notes,lecture notes and other informative material on the exam will be made available during the course
Teaching methods
Oral lessons, practical exercitations and seminars
Assessment methods and criteria
Written and oral exam
The knowledge and understanding will be assessed with questions which require a short answer specifically aimed at verifying the knowledge of the concepts and principles discussed in the course.
The communication skills, the ability to apply the acquired knowledge through appropriate arguments and reflections and the autonomy of judgment will be assessed with open questions with graph, expositions and essays which require a logical and coherent articulation and integration of different notions acquired during the course.
Learning skills will be assessed on the basis of a comprehensive assessment to the different questions. The oral test may fill any gaps which eventually emerge in the written test.
Moreover, optional written and oral discussion of additional material may take place to gain a deeper evaluation.
Other information
The lectures cover the entire course content and are supplemented by practical exercises. Individual help is also provided in Office Hours
