Taxation on goods, income or wealth influence economic behaviour and the distribution of resources. For example, higher taxes on carbon emissions will increase cost for producers, reduce demand and shift demand towards alternatives. Higher income tax can enable a redistribution of income within society, but may have an impact on reducing the incentives to work …
There are different ways for the government to raise tax revenue. While tax is often unpopular, economists set criteria for what makes a ‘good’ and ‘fair’ tax. This includes – fairness, easy to collect, non-distortionary and increases social welfare. Principles of a good tax include Vertical equity – Fair. Vertical equity is concerned with setting …
Definition of the underground economy. The underground economy involves economic transactions not measured by government statistics and ignoring government regulations and laws. It includes Illegal criminal activity Non-market activity – e.g. growing your own vegetables Legal activity which is hidden from authorities (e.g. to avoid paying tax) The underground economy may also be referred to …
Living standards vary significantly across the globe. Wealthy economies, such as the US have an average GDP per head (at PPP) of $59,495 in the US (IMF 2017) This compares to an average annual income as low as $808 Burundi. (IMF 2017) There are many reasons for these divergences in income including – historical trends, …
Increased government spending is likely to cause a rise in aggregate demand (AD). This can lead to higher growth in the short-term. It can also potentially lead to inflation. Higher government spending will also have an impact on the supply-side of the economy – depending on which area of government spending is increased. If spending …
Readers Question: I have to debate why multinational corporations are good for developing countries, and I know the arguments for them being bad are strong so are there any really good positive arguments I could use to smash the opposition? Multinational companies like Nike, Sony, Apple, Toyota, Coca-Cola all have investments and operations in developing …
A ‘fat tax’ is a specific tax placed on foods which are considered to be unhealthy and contribute towards obesity. The tax could be placed on foods high in sugar/fat, such as crisps, chocolate and deep fried takeaways. The argument is that a fat tax would encourage healthier eating and raise revenue to be spent …
Definition: Non-price competition involves ways that firms seek to increase sales and attract custom through methods other than price. Non-price competition can include quality of the product, unique selling point, superior location and after-sales service. Models of perfect competition suggest the most important issue in markets is the price. And for a homogenous product like …