Teaching code

4S00311

Academic staff

Paolo Pertile, Paola Bertoli

Coordinator

Paolo Pertile

Credits

9

Also offered in courses:

• Public finance of the course Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (Vicenza)

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

SECS-P/03 - PUBLIC ECONOMICS

Period

secondo semestre (lauree) dal Feb 15, 2021 al Jun 1, 2021.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide students with rigorous economic tools for the modern analysis of public policies. We will review the justifications for the economic role of the state, focusing on the role of public expenditure, taxation and regulatory policies. We will supplement the analysis of theoretical models with evidence from Italian public policies. We will focus on the underlying motivations behid public interventions and on the effect of public policies in terms of efficiency and equity. At completion of the course students should be able to: - Understand and evaluate critically the justifications for the public intervention in the economy. - Analyse and assess rigorously public policies on the basis of economic theory. - Master the economic analysis of the main italian taxation tools.

Program

Part I:
-Market failures and possible interventions: externalities, public goods, natural monopoly, asymmetry of information.
- Redistribution (cash and in-kind)
-Decentralization: theory and the implementation in Italy

Part II:
-Social security: pensions, health care, poverty and unemployment insurance
-Pension systems: the rationale for public intervention; characteristics of different pensions systems; pension reforms in Italy since the 1990s.

Part III:
-Alternative financing tools: taxes and debt;
-General principles of taxation: equity and efficiency considerations;
-What characterises taxes: tax bases and tax rates;
-The economic impact of taxation
-The main characteristics of the Italian tax system: personal income tax, corporate taxation, taxation of returns on capital, indirect taxes, local taxes.

Examination Methods

Assessment will be based on a final exam that will be split into two parts. The first part will be online and will include a set of multiple choice questions and short exercises. The second part of the exam will test the ability to discuss topics more in depth and to critically link different topics. This second part may be oral or written, depending on the restrictions existing during the period of the exam session.
Students will be also given the opportunity to sit a mid-term exam on topics covered during the first part of the course. This test will be online and will give the opportunity to obtain up to three points to be added to the final exam grade.