Module 11 Flashcards
What kind of good is both excludable and rival?
Private good
what kind of good is non-excludable but rival?
Common good
What kind of good is non-rival, but excludable?
Quasi-public good
What kind of good is non-excludable and non-rival?
Public good
What does it mean when we say a good is rival?
One person’s consumption of that good excludes someone else from consuming it.
What does it mean when we say a good is excludable?
It’s possible to make people pay for it, with no free-rider problem.
What kind of good is national defence?
Public
What kind of good is a lighthouse?
Public
What kind of good is a cinema?
Quasi-public
What kind of good is a haircut?
Private
What kind of good is cable-TV?
Quasi-public
What kind of good is public education?
Common good
How do we calculate the demand curve for a public good?
Q: the individual units
P: added across consumers
So if 2 people would each pay $1 for 1 unit, Q=1, P=$2
Why is it hard to figure out the true demand for a public good?
Because no one has incentive to reveal their preferences.
What kind of good is a toll road?
Quasi-public (unless massive congestion occurs)
What is the “tragedy of the commons”?
The “tragedy of the commons”:
- stems from lack of enforceable property rights
- the tendency for a common resource to become overused to the point where it’s no longer useful.
How do we correct for the tragedy of the commons?
Taxes, quotas.
What is an externality?
A cost or benefit that is not borne solely by the buyer or seller.