ECON 205(S) Public Economics

This course will examine the role of government in a primarily market economy. Our focus will be on microeconomic issues such as the provision of public goods, various approaches to solving externality problems, and the incidence of taxes. We will also analyze several specific government programs and policies including: expenditures on defense, federal and state health care initiatives, Social Security, and welfare programs. We will examine recent changes in the distribution of income in the U.S. and assess different theories explaining these changes.
Students will write two short papers. Prerequisite: Economics 101. Students who have completed Economics 251 must have the permission of the instructor.

Hour:  BRAINERD