8. Government microeconomic intervention
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8.1 Government policies to achieve efficient resource allocation and correct market failure
• Application and effectiveness of measures to tackle different forms of market failure: - specific and ad valorem indirect taxes - subsidies - price controls - production quotas - prohibitions and licences - regulation and deregulation - direct provision - pollution permits - property rights - nationalisation and privatisation - provision of information - behavioural insights and 'nudge' theory
• Government failure in microeconomic intervention: - definition of government failure - causes of government failure - consequences of government failure
8.2 Equity and redistribution of income and wealth
• Difference between equity and equality
• Difference between equity and efficiency
• Distinction between absolute poverty and relative poverty
• The poverty trap
• Policies towards equity and equality, for example: - negative income tax - universal benefits and means-tested benefits - universal basic income
8.3 Labour market forces and government intervention
8.3.1Demand for labour
• Demand for labour as a derived demand
8.3.2Labour demand determinants
• Factors affecting demand for labour in a firm or an occupation
8.3.3Labour demand shifts/movements
• Causes of shifts in and movement along the demand curve for labour in a firm or an occupation
8.3.4MRP theory
• Marginal revenue product (MRP) theory: - definition and calculation of marginal revenue product - derivation of an individual firm's demand for labour using marginal revenue product
8.3.5Labour supply determinants
• Factors affecting the supply of labour to a firm or to an occupation: - wage and non-wage factors
8.3.6Labour supply shifts/movements
• Causes of shifts in and movement along the supply curve of labour to a firm or an occupation
8.3.7Wages in perfect labour markets
• Wage determination in perfect markets: - equilibrium wage rate and employment in a labour market
8.3.8Wages in imperfect labour markets
• Wage determination in imperfect markets: - influence of trade unions on wage determination and employment in a labour market - influence of government on wage determination and employment in a labour market using a national minimum wage - influence of monopsony employers on wage determination and employment in a labour market
8.3.9Wage differentials
• Determination of wage differentials by labour market forces
8.3.10Transfer earnings and economic rent
• Transfer earnings and economic rent: - definition of transfer earnings - definition of economic rent - factors affecting transfer earnings and economic rent in an occupation