Master
2021/2022
State and Economy
Type:
Compulsory course (Politics. Economics. Philosophy)
Area of studies:
Political Science
Delivered by:
Department of Applied Economics
Where:
Faculty of Social Sciences
When:
2 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies:
distance learning
Online hours:
60
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Leonid Polishchuk
Master’s programme:
Политика. Экономика. Философия
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
5
Contact hours:
32
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This course offers an introduction into the public economics theory. It does not aspire to cover theories of taxation, public expenditures, regulation etc. at length and in-depth. Rather, our ambition is to give a bird's-eye view of central themes of public economics and related disciplines, and teach concepts, logic, and ideas, rather than methods of analysis, which would require an entirely different course format. Our choice of topics covered by the course reflects a trade-off between salience and centrality, on the one hand, and suitability for a brief online introductory course, on the other. The central theme of the course is the role of government as a mechanism of resource allocation which complements and augments markets. Governments are viewed as public agencies set to correct market failures. Such agencies however are prone to failures of their own, and hence markets and governments are two imperfect alternatives. We deal with government's limitations, with particular emphasis on those that have to do with informational asymmetry, limited administrative capacity, and imperfect accountability to society. Otherwise the course's man themes are economics of taxation, regulation, politics of public economics, incentives in government, and government vis-à-vis (civil) society.
Learning Objectives
- give a bird's-eye view of central themes of public economics and related disciplines, and teach concepts, logic, and ideas, rather than methods of analysis, which would require an entirely different course format
Expected Learning Outcomes
- to discuss reasons calling for government presence in market economies
- to stress key advantages of markets over governments which make privately taken decisions highly efficient in the absence of externalities
Course Contents
- Theme 1. Government in a Market Economy
- Theme 2. Design of Government: A Tax Theory Primer
- Theme 3. Scope of Government
- Theme 4. Politics of Public Economics
- Theme 5. Working of the Government
- Theme 6. Government and Society
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Auerbach, A. J. (2013). Handbook of Public Economics. Amsterdam: North Holland. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=485505
- Hillman, A. L. (2019). Public Finance and Public Policy. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.b.cup.cbooks.9781107136311
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Goodin, R., Moran, M., & Rein, M. (2015). The Oxford handbook of public policy. Australia, Australia/Oceania: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.3A27B9A0
- 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