Bachelor
2021/2022
Public Economics
Type:
Elective course (Economics)
Area of studies:
Economics
Delivered by:
Department of Economics
When:
3 year, 2 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
28
Course Syllabus
Abstract
the course is structured into two parts. The first part of the course (called Public Expenditures) explores how governments spend public money. This part provides rationales for government intervention in the market, including public goods and spatial aspects of their provision (local public goods). This leads us to a discussion of local government and fiscal federalism. The second part of the course (called Public Finance) explores how governments raise public money. We will begin by considering the optimal commodity and income taxation, moving then into a discussion of tax evasion and avoidance that coherent to practical tax administration. We will also explore efficiency costs of taxation and tax incidence.
Learning Objectives
- Study on the role of the government in the economy, on the mechanisms and outcomes of government intervention
- focuses on the role of the government in the economy, on the mechanisms and outcomes of government intervention
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Students should acquire an understanding of the principles and methods of analyzing various government programs such as taxes and transfers as well as their effects on economic agents
Course Contents
- Public goods
- Club goods and local public goods
- Intergovernmental relations: Fiscal federalism; Decentralization
- Tax burden and tax incidence
- Optimal commodity taxation
- Optimal income taxation
- Tax evasion and avoidance
Assessment Elements
- The homework assignmentswill account for 20% of the course grade, equally weighted. A homework will be given every week (seven HAs in total). Students should carry out homeworks individually and submit them via LMS no later than the deadline. No HA will be accepted after the deadline (i.e., a failing grade will apply to any late assignment except for exceptional/unexpected circumstances, with valid proof). Each HA will be posted on LMS the day after the lecture. The exact due date for submitting the HA will be specified in the assignment. You should submit homeworks via LMS (as Project). The HAs should be written by hand and then scanned (or photographed). The HAs will be graded based on a 10-point scale.
- The midterm examaccounts for 35% of the course grade. The date of the midterm exam will be announced later. The midterm will be 80 minutes long and it will be based on the material covered by the date. The midterm will be conducted online via SmartLMS with asynchronous self-proctoring using MS Teams. Only verified medical documentation will be accepted to excuse not taking the midterm exam at the scheduled time!
- Final Examaccounts for 45% of the course grade. The final exam will be 120 minutes long. It will be based on the material covered in the second half of the course (not covered at the midterm exam). The exam will be conducted online via SmartLMS with asynchronous self-proctoring using MS Teams. Only verified medical documentation will be accepted to excuse not taking the final exam at the scheduled time!
Interim Assessment
- 2021/2022 2nd module0.35 * The midterm exam + 0.2 * The homework assignments + 0.45 * Final Exam
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Hindriks, J., & Myles, G. D. (2013). Intermediate Public Economics (Vol. Second edition). Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=564828
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Anthony B. Atkinson, & Joseph E. Stiglitz. (2015). Lectures on Public Economics Updated edition. Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.b.pup.pbooks.10493