Market Failure (CIE IGCSE Economics)

A number of book publishers operate in Pakistan. These include multinational companies (MNCs). They employ a range of specialist workers. A number of these specialists estimate the price elasticity of demand (PED) for their firms’ books. There is a debate about whether some books should be subsidised by the government.

Discuss whether or not the government should subsidise the production of books.

The price of dental treatment is increasing in most countries. For example, the average price of filling a tooth is $180 in the US. The number of dentists is increasing in the US. The largest proportion of the US labour force is employed in the tertiary sector. Price changes have an impact on the supply of products in the tertiary sector as well as in the primary and secondary sectors.

Discuss whether or not a government should provide free dental treatment.

In the UK, bus journeys outside London have fallen by nearly 40% since 1980. This fall in demand has been largely due to a rise in bus fares, a rise in income and changes in the price and quality of substitutes. On some routes there are monopolies operating and this lack of competition can push up the price.

Discuss whether or not a government should subsidise bus transport.

India and Ecuador are two major producers of bananas. India is the world’s largest producer of bananas while Ecuador is the world’s largest exporter. Multinational companies (MNCs) produce some of the bananas in both countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that each person should eat 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day. To encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetables governments may use policy measures such as maximum prices and subsidies.

Discuss whether or not a government subsidy given to fruit producers will benefit consumers.

The population of Hungary is the most obese in Europe. Hungarians eat fewer vegetables than most Europeans and more food types that may be considered to be demerit goods. In 2017, the Hungarian government introduced a tax on unhealthy food, known as the chips tax. The tax has had some success in moving demand to healthier foods. Some economists suggest that governments should use price controls as well as taxes to influence the food market.

Discuss whether or not a government should impose a maximum price on food.

Discuss whether or not increasing subsidies given to bus travel would reduce pollution in India.

Refer to the source material in your answers.

Changes in tobacco production and consumption can have both microeconomic and macroeconomic effects. Tobacco plants are grown in at least 124 countries with different levels of development. A higher proportion of the poor than of the rich consume tobacco products. The market for cigarettes, produced using tobacco, is changing. Demand for cigarettes and some other demerit goods is declining in a number of countries.

Discuss whether or not government intervention will correct the market failure caused by a demerit good.

Explain two external costs of the destruction of forests in Indonesia.

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Explain why external costs cause market failure. 

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Explain, using information from the extract, two external costs that driverless cars could reduce.

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Explain, using information from the extract, two reasons for government regulation of the fishing industry in Iceland.

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Droughts in the Pacific Coast region of the US and regulations, in the form of limits on the amount of salmon that can be caught in the wild, have reduced the supply of wild salmon. These limits were imposed to avoid market failure in the salmon market. However, the effect of this on the revenue of salmon producers is uncertain. In addition, producers of farmed salmon in the US states of Washington and Alaska have received subsidies from the US government.

Explain one market failure that may occur in the salmon market.

Mexico has recently experienced relatively low inflation and the Mexican government wants to maintain this price stability. Despite this its currency has fallen in value with each Mexican peso exchanging for less foreign currency. The government is also trying to reduce pollution in the country. One key cause of pollution in Mexico is car travel. Driving has both private and external costs.

Explain two ways a government could reduce external costs.

Explain, using information from the extract, two external costs that arise from oil production in Nigeria.

Refer to the source material in your answers.

The United Nations (UN) has set out development goals for countries to achieve by 2050. These goals include:

• conserve natural resources
• ensure education for all
• end poverty everywhere
• promote sustained economic growth

Explain two external benefits that can arise from education.

More governments are imposing taxes on unhealthy food and drinks. Such taxes are usually regressive. Some of these governments are also increasing their spending on healthcare. In other countries healthcare is provided by the private sector. The number of state-owned enterprises is declining in a number of countries due to privatisation.

Explain why the social benefit of healthcare is greater than the private benefit.

The production process in the oil industry is capital-intensive. The pollution it generates means it is one cause of environmental market failure. A Nigerian oil monopoly is starting to produce more environmentally friendly liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), rather than kerosene, in an attempt to reduce pollution. The Nigerian government intends to split the monopoly firm into separate companies to improve efficiency.

Explain how market failure might occur in the oil industry.

Botswana has a number of conservation projects. These are thought to provide a social benefit to local communities. Botswana has a mixed economic system with tax revenue as a percentage of GDP at 27% in 2017. Some Botswana economists suggest that the country should move towards a market economic system, taking care to avoid market failure.

Analyse how taxation could reduce market failure.

Swaziland is a small African country where six in ten people live in poverty and most firms are small and use little capital equipment. In October 2015 it opened a new airport. Some economists suggest that the building of the airport involved a high opportunity cost and caused a range of external costs. The building of the airport is part of the government’s plan to turn the country from a developing into a developed country.

Analyse the external costs that can be caused by the building and expansion of an airport.