Learning Path
Question & Answer1
Understand Question2
Review Options3
Learn Explanation4
Explore TopicChoose the Best Answer
A
Private costs are always lower than social costs.
B
Private costs are equal to social costs.
C
Private costs do not consider external effects, while social costs do.
D
Private costs are higher than social costs.
Understanding the Answer
Let's break down why this is correct
Answer
In a market with negative externalities, private costs are the expenses that individuals or businesses directly face when producing or consuming goods. For example, a factory might spend money on materials and labor to produce products, which represents its private costs. However, social costs include the overall impact on society, which can include pollution or health issues caused by the factory's operations. This means that social costs are usually higher than private costs because they account for the negative effects on the environment and public health that the factory does not pay for. Therefore, when private costs do not reflect these additional social costs, it can lead to overproduction and harm to society.
Detailed Explanation
Private costs only include what the buyer and seller pay. Other options are incorrect because This idea suggests private costs are always less, which isn't true; This option says private and social costs are the same, which misses the extra harm.
Key Concepts
private costs
Topic
Analyzing Market Equilibrium with Externalities
Difficulty
easy level question
Cognitive Level
understand
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