Chapter 5: Problem 20

Under which circumstances does the tax burden fall entirely on consumers?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The tax burden falls entirely on consumers under the following conditions: (1) demand is highly inelastic, meaning consumers are not sensitive to price changes and continue to purchase the product even when the price increases due to the tax, and (2) supply is highly elastic, meaning producers are sensitive to price changes, adjust the quantity supplied quickly in response to price changes, and can easily pass the tax burden onto consumers.

Step by step solution

Understand the concept of tax incidence and tax burden

Tax incidence is the manner in which the burden of a tax is distributed among the economic entities - consumers and producers. In other words, it's about who bears the tax burden. If the tax burden falls entirely on consumers, it means that consumers are paying the full cost of the tax, and producers do not face any decrease in their revenue.

Define elasticity of demand and supply

Elasticity of demand refers to the responsiveness of the quantity demanded to a change in price. If demand is price elastic, it means that the quantity demanded changes significantly in response to a change in price, whereas if demand is price inelastic, the quantity demanded doesn't change much when the price changes. Similarly, elasticity of supply refers to the responsiveness of the quantity supplied to a change in price. If supply is price elastic, the quantity supplied changes significantly in response to a change in price. If supply is price inelastic, the quantity supplied doesn't change much when the price changes.

Analyze the relationship between elasticities and tax burden

The tax burden falls on the party that has the more inelastic side of the market. This is because the party that is less responsive to price changes will bear a greater portion of the tax burden. In the case where the tax burden falls entirely on consumers, the demand must be relatively more inelastic compared to the supply. It means that consumers' willingness to buy the product doesn't change much when the price increases due to the tax burden, whereas producers are more responsive to price changes and thus are more likely to pass the entire tax burden onto consumers.

Identify the conditions under which the tax burden falls entirely on consumers

The tax burden will fall entirely on consumers under the following conditions: 1. Demand is highly inelastic: Consumers are not sensitive to price changes and will continue to purchase the product even when the price increases due to the tax. 2. Supply is highly elastic: Producers are sensitive to price changes and will adjust the quantity supplied quickly in response to price changes, making it easier to pass the tax burden onto consumers.

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