Practise explaining transfer payments, progressive taxation and public spending policies used to redistribute income and wealth, and assessing their effects.
Assess the extent to which government policies to redistribute income and wealth are likely to be successful.
OR
Use Table A: AO1 Knowledge and understanding and AO2 Analysis and Table B: AO3 Evaluation to mark candidate responses to this question.
AO1 and AO2 out of 8 marks. AO3 out of 4 marks.
Indicative content
Responses may include:
AO1 Knowledge and understanding and AO2 Analysis
Policies may include:
- Minimum wage rates
- Transfer payments
- Progressive income taxes
- State provision of essential goods and services
- Investment in infrastructure
Marking guidance:
Accept any valid policies but the analysis must focus on how they may be used to redistribute income and wealth and their advantages and disadvantages to be credited.
E.g., A minimum wage rate that is set above the equilibrium, should increase the income levels of those on the lowest levels and therefore possibly ensure that poverty is reduced. However, if everyone's income levels increased, this will not have a redistribution effect. It will not impact on the self-employed. It may lead to unemployment and more poverty leading to less redistribution if businesses cannot afford the higher rates.
E.g., Progressive income taxes should ensure that those on lower incomes pay less tax as a percentage of income than those on higher incomes. This should have a redistributive effect. However, those on higher incomes may have the ability to reduce their tax burden or may simply leave the country. It may also reduce incentives to earn more.
Note: if only one policy is considered, the maximum level will be Level 2.
Level 1 responses will be assertive and lacking in explanations / mainly descriptive and/or or mainly lacking in relevance to the question.
Level 2 responses may contain some inaccuracies and will be one sided. Analysis will be explained at least in part and will be largely relevant to the question.
Level 3 responses will consider alternative policies / concepts etc. and will be balanced. Explanations of points raised will be offered and will be accurate and relevant to the question.
2(b)
AO3 Evaluation
- Requires an assessment of the likely success of more than one government policy leading to
- A justified conclusion as to whether such policies are ever likely to be successful.
A one-sided response cannot gain any marks for evaluation.
Please use a text box to show the mark split e.g., L2 5 L1 2
AO1 Knowledge and understanding and AO2 Analysis
AO3 Evaluation
OR