Market Failure and the Role of Government
In which type of market structure is a single firm most able to create deadweight loss by restricting output to raise prices?
Monopolistic competition
Perfect competition
Monopoly
Oligopoly
If lighthouses were privately owned without government intervention, what problem could arise due to their unique nature as both excludable and non-excludable goods?
Overproduction resulting from perfect competition among lighthouse providers.
Government overregulation stifling innovation within lighthouse technology development.
Difficulty in excluding beneficiaries may lead to underproduction due to free-riding.
Excess demand causing prices for lighthouse services to rise exponentially.
Why do public goods tend to be underprovided in the absence of government intervention?
The market fails to allocate resources efficiently for public goods.
People have a preference for private goods over public goods.
Individuals have an incentive to free-ride and enjoy the benefits without contributing.
Public goods are inherently costly to produce and distribute.
Which of the following goods is most likely to be considered a private good?
A sandwich purchased at a deli
The street lighting in a city neighborhood
A lighthouse's beam guiding ships at sea
National defense provided by the government
Which characteristic applies exclusively to private goods but not club or common resources?
Rivalry in consumption, indicating that one person’s use diminishes other people’s ability to consume the same unit of good.
Potential for overuse leading to depletion or degradation if there isn't effective management.
Possibility of being provided efficiently by competitive markets without requiring government intervention.
Excludability through pricing mechanisms allowing producers to prevent those who do not pay from consuming the product.
What is the main difference between a public good and a common resource?
Public goods are non-rivalrous, while common resources are rivalrous.
Public goods are non-excludable, while common resources are excludable.
Public goods are non-profitable, while common resources are profit-oriented.
Public goods are provided by the government, while common resources are privately owned.
When considering common resources, what intervention could the government implement to prevent overuse or depletion?
Subsidize the price of fishing equipment to increase competition among fisheries.
Provide tax breaks to enterprises exploiting common resources as an incentive for rapid development.
Encourage a free-market solution where individuals negotiate their own terms for resource utilization.
Impose quotas or licenses limiting the quantity of fish that can be caught by fisheries.

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What potential impact could taxing negative externalities associated with consumption of private goods have on economic efficiency?
Taxes can internalize externalities leading markets toward more socially desirable outcomes aligned with economic efficiency goals.
More taxes can increase production costs causing oversupply as producers raise prices driving consumers away.
Imposing taxes might disproportionately affect low-income populations reducing their purchasing power without improving allocations.
Taxation reduces corporate profits stifling innovation restricting advancement towards more efficient technologies or services.
What would be an expected consequence for perfect competition markets if there were sudden deregulation that removes stringent industry standards?
Unchanged market conditions as perfect competition assumes no barriers regardless of regulation level.
Increased number of suppliers entering the market leading to lower prices.
A shift towards monopolistic competition as brands try differentiating products post-deregulation.
Price fixing by existing suppliers due to decreased regulatory oversight.
Which scenario best illustrates the tragedy of the commons?
Rent controls leading to housing shortages
Overfishing in international waters
Hoarding during a natural disaster
A congested toll road