📚 Learning Guide
Optimal and Sub-optimal Outcomes
hard

A government imposes a price ceiling on essential goods to ensure affordability. Which of the following outcomes best describes the effects of this intervention?

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Choose the Best Answer

A

It creates a deadweight loss due to reduced incentive for producers to supply the goods.

B

It leads to allocative efficiency as more consumers can now afford the goods.

C

It results in an increase in consumer surplus without any impact on producer surplus.

D

It eliminates market shortages and ensures optimal distribution of resources.

Understanding the Answer

Let's break down why this is correct

Answer

When a government sets a price ceiling on essential goods, it means they limit how high the price can go to keep these goods affordable for everyone. This can help many people buy what they need, like food or medicine, but it can also lead to problems. For example, if the price of bread is capped too low, bakeries might not make enough bread because they can’t cover their costs. This could result in shortages, where there isn’t enough bread for everyone who wants it. So, while the intention is to help people afford essential goods, it can create a situation where those goods are less available, leading to sub-optimal outcomes.

Detailed Explanation

When the government sets a price ceiling, it can make producers less willing to supply goods. Other options are incorrect because Some might think that making goods cheaper helps everyone; It's a common belief that lower prices only help consumers.

Key Concepts

Optimal and Sub-optimal Outcomes
Deadweight Loss
Allocative Efficiency
Topic

Optimal and Sub-optimal Outcomes

Difficulty

hard level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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