Course content

The course gives a basic understanding of collective decisions, collective goods, and government control. The course covers organization and incentives in government production, and how decision makers are affected by government controls and taxes.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

You learn

• How collective decisions about economic policy are taken
• The arguments for design of government controls
• How decision makers in the private sector are influenced by taxes and government controls

Skills

You should be able to analyze

• The assumptions of different collective decision making arrangements and how they work
• Collective goods and externalities that are not taken care of in the market
• Production and financing of welfare services and how they can be organized inside and outside the public sector -
• Design of the tax system and how taxes influence decision makers
• Competition and allocation of functions within the public sector, the relationship between central and local governments

General competence

You should be able to

• read and understand reports and research articles dealing with issues discussed in the course

Learning methods and activities

2 hours of lecture every week and 2 hours of exercise every other week. The course has compulsory activity. Specific requirements will be announced at the beginning of the term.

Compulsory assignments

• Approved term paper(s)/exercise(s)

Recommended previous knowledge

Bachelor's degree in Economics

Required previous knowledge

None

Course materials

Announced at the beginning of the term.