1. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. 6 Supply, Demand, and Government Policies

2. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Learning Objectives ●Examine the effects of government policies that place a ceiling on prices ●Examine the effects of government policies that put a floor under prices ●Consider how a tax on a good affects the price of the good and the quantity sold ●Learn that taxes levied on buyers and taxes levied on sellers are equivalent ●See how the burden of a tax is split between buyers and sellers

3. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Supply, Demand, and Government Policies ●In a free, unregulated market system, market forces establish equilibrium prices and exchange quantities. ●While equilibrium conditions may be efficient, it may be true that not everyone is satisfied. ●One of the roles of economists is to use their theories to assist in the development of policies.

4. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Policies that Control Prices ●Are usually enacted when policymakers believe the market price is unfair to buyers or sellers. ●Result in government-created price ceilings and floors.  Price Ceiling maximum  Price Ceiling : a legal maximum on the price at which a good can be sold.  Price Floor: aminimum  Price Floor: a legal minimum on the price at which a good can be sold.

5. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. How Price Ceilings Affect Market Outcomes ●Two outcomes are possible when the government imposes a price ceiling: is notabove  The price ceiling is not binding if set above the equilibrium price. isbelow  The price ceiling is binding if set below the equilibrium price, leading to a shortage.

6. Figure 1 A Market with a Price Ceiling (a) A Price Ceiling That Is Not Binding Quantity of Ice-Cream Cones 0 Price of Ice-Cream Cone Equilibrium quantity $4 Price ceiling Equilibrium price Demand Supply 3 100

7. Figure 1 A Market with a Price Ceiling Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning (b) A Price Ceiling That Is Binding Quantity of Ice-Cream Cones 0 Price of Ice-Cream Cone Demand Supply 2Price ceiling Shortage 75 Quantity supplied 125 Quantity demanded Equilibrium price $3

8. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. How Price Ceilings Affect Market Outcomes ●A binding price ceiling, because Q D > Q S, creates  shortages (e.g., Gasoline shortage of the 1970s)  non-price rationing (e.g., Long lines, discrimination by sellers)

9. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. ●In 1973, OPEC raised the price of crude oil in world markets. Crude oil is the major input in gasoline, so the higher oil prices reduced the supply of gasoline. ●What was responsible for the long gas lines? CASE STUDY: Lines at the Gas Pump Economists blame government regulations that limited the price oil companies could charge for gasoline.

10. Figure 2 The Market for Gasoline with a Price Ceiling Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning (a) The Price Ceiling on Gasoline Is Not Binding Quantity of Gasoline 0 Price of Gasoline 1. Initially, the price ceiling is not binding... Price ceiling Demand Supply,S1S1 P1P1 Q1Q1

11. Figure 2 The Market for Gasoline with a Price Ceiling Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning (b) The Price Ceiling on Gasoline Is Binding Quantity of Gasoline 0 Price of Gasoline Demand S1S1 S2S2 Price ceiling QSQS 4.... resulting in a shortage. 3.... the price ceiling becomes binding... 2.... but when supply falls... P2P2 QDQD P1P1 Q1Q1

12. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. CASE STUDY: Rent Control in the Short Run and Long Run ●Rent controls are ceilings placed on the rents that landlords may charge their tenants. ●The goal of rent control policy is to help the poor by making housing more affordable. ●One economist called rent control “the best way to destroy a city, other than bombing.”

13. Figure 3 Rent Control in the Short Run and in the Long Run Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning (a) Rent Control in the Short Run (supply and demand are inelastic) Quantity of Apartments 0 Supply Controlled rent Rental Price of Apartment Demand Shortage

14. Figure 3 Rent Control in the Short Run and in the Long Run Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning (b) Rent Control in the Long Run (supply and demand are elastic) 0 Rental Price of Apartment Quantity of Apartments Demand Supply Controlled rent Shortage

15. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. How Price Floors Affect Market Outcomes ●When the government imposes a price floor, two outcomes are possible. is notbelow  The price floor is not binding if set below the equilibrium price. isabove  The price floor is binding if set above the equilibrium price, leading to a surplus.

16. Figure 4 A Market with a Price Floor Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning (a) A Price Floor That Is Not Binding Quantity of Ice-Cream Cones 0 Price of Ice-Cream Cone Equilibrium quantity 2 Price floor Equilibrium price Demand Supply $3 100

17. Figure 4 A Market with a Price Floor Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning (b) A Price Floor That Is Binding Quantity of Ice-Cream Cones 0 Price of Ice-Cream Cone Demand Supply $4 Price floor 80 Quantity demanded 120 Quantity supplied Equilibrium price Surplus 3

18. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. How Price Floors Affect Market Outcomes ●A price floor prevents supply and demand from moving toward the equilibrium price and quantity. ●When the market price hits the floor, it can fall no further, and the market price equals the floor price.

19. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. How Price Floors Affect Market Outcomes ●A binding price floor causes...  a surplus because Q S > Q D. non-price rationing  non-price rationing is an alternative mechanism for rationing the good, using discrimination criteria. Examples: The minimum wage, agricultural price supports

20. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. The Minimum Wage ●An important example of a price floor is the minimum wage. Minimum wage laws dictate the lowest price possible for labour that any employer may pay. ●Minimum wage rates differ by province. In 2003, minimum wages ranged from a low of $5.90 per hour in Alberta to a high of $8.50 in Nunavut.

21. Figure 5 How the Minimum Wage Affects the Labour Market Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning Quantity of Labour Wage 0 Labour demand Labour Supply Equilibrium employment Equilibrium wage (a) A Free Labour Market

22. Figure 5 How the Minimum Wage Affects the Labour Market Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning Quantity of Labour Wage 0 Labour Supply Labour surplus (unemployment) Labour demand Minimum wage Quantity demanded Quantity supplied (b) A Labour Market with a Binding Minimum Wage

23. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. TAXES ●Governments levy taxes to raise revenue for public projects. ●Tax incidence is the distribution of a tax burden

24. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. How Taxes on Buyers (and Sellers) Affect Market Outcomes ●Taxes discourage market activity. ●When a good is taxed, the quantity sold is smaller. ●Buyers and sellers share the tax burden.

25. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Elasticity and Tax Incidence ●Tax incidence ●Tax incidence is  the manner in which the burden of a tax is shared among participants in a market.  or who bears the burden of a tax. ●Taxes result in a change in market equilibrium. ●Buyers pay more and sellers receive less, regardless on whom the tax is levied.

26. Figure 6 A Tax on Buyers Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning Quantity of Ice-Cream Cones 0 Price of Ice-Cream Cone Price without tax Price sellers receive Equilibrium without tax Tax ($0.50) Price buyers pay D1D1 D2D2 Supply,S1S1 A tax on buyers shifts the demand curve downward by the size of the tax ($0.50). $3.30 90 Equilibrium with tax 2.80 3.00 100

27. Figure 7 A Tax on Sellers Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning 2.80 Quantity of Ice-Cream Cones 0 Price of Ice-Cream Cone Price without tax Price sellers receive Equilibrium with tax Equilibrium without tax Tax ($0.50) Price buyers pay S1S1 S2S2 Demand,D1D1 A tax on sellers shifts the supply curve upward by the amount of the tax ($0.50). 3.00 100 $3.30 90

28. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Elasticity and Tax Incidence ●What was the impact of tax?  Taxes discourage market activity.  When a good is taxed, the quantity sold is smaller.  Buyers and sellers share the tax burden.

29. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. ●If you have ever received a paycheque, you probably noticed that taxes were deducted from the amount you earned. ●One of these taxes is called Employment Insurance (EI) ●The federal government uses the revenue from EI tax  to pay for benefits to unemployed workers  for training programs and other policies ●EI is an example of a payroll tax, which is a tax on the wages that firms pay their workers. ●In 2003, the total EI tax for the typical worker was about 5% of earnings. CASE STUDY: Can Parliament Distribute the Burden of a Payroll Tax?

30. Figure 8 A Payroll Tax Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning Quantity of Labour 0 Wage Labour demand Labour supply Tax wedge Wage workers receive Wage firms pay Wage without tax

31. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Elasticity and Tax Incidence ●In what proportions is the burden of the tax divided? ●How do the effects of taxes on sellers compare to those levied on buyers? ●The answers to these questions depend on the elasticity of demand and the elasticity of supply.

32. Figure 9 How the Burden of a Tax Is Divided Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning Quantity 0 Price Demand Supply Tax Price sellers receive Price buyers pay (a) Elastic Supply, Inelastic Demand 2.... the incidence of the tax falls more heavily on consumers... 1. When supply is more elastic than demand... Price without tax 3.... than on producers.

33. Figure 9 How the Burden of a Tax Is Divided Copyright©2003 Southwestern/Thomson Learning Quantity 0 Price Demand Supply Tax Price sellers receive Price buyers pay (b) Inelastic Supply, Elastic Demand 3.... than on consumers. 1. When demand is more elastic than supply... Price without tax 2.... the incidence of the tax falls more heavily on producers...

34. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. So, how is the burden of the tax divided? ●The burden of a tax falls more heavily on the side of the market that is less elastic. ELASTICITY AND TAX INCIDENCE

35. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Summary ●Price controls include price ceilings and price floors. price ceiling  A price ceiling is a legal maximum on the price of a good or service. An example is rent control. price floor  A price floor is a legal minimum on the price of a good or a service. An example is the minimum wage.

36. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Summary ●When the government levies a tax on a good, the equilibrium quantity of the good falls. ●A tax on a good places a wedge between the price paid by buyers and the price received by sellers.

37. Copyright © 2006 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Summary ●The incidence of a tax  refers to who bears the burden of a tax.  does not depend on whether the tax is levied on buyers or sellers.  depends on the price elasticities of supply and demand. ●The burden tends to fall on the side of the market that is less elastic.