📚 Learning Guide
Analyzing Market Equilibrium with Externalities
easy

In a market experiencing negative externalities, how do private costs differ from social costs?

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Choose 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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