In: Economics
3.2 Externalities
Consider the perfectly competitive market for strawberries at the
Davis farmers market. The market’s inverse demand curve is p = 600
− 20Q. Firms selling strawberries at the farmers market have
marginal cost curve MCP = 20Q. Also assume that, because there is a
fixed amount of space at the farmers market, each strawberry sold
at the farmers market has negative social cost (less bread
stands!), with a cost of space-taking of MCst = 12Q. However,
because having stawberries around the farmers market puts buyers in
a good mood, there is also a positive externality that strawberry
firms receive equal to MBgm = 2Q (MB is marginal benefit).
A. What are the perfectly competitive equilibrium price and
quantity in this market?
B. What is the socially optimal equilibrium price and quantity in
this market?
C. Please draw this market, including the following
curves—demand, private marginal cost, and social marginal cost.
Also label the following points—the perfectly competitive
equilibrium and the socially optimal equilibrium. Also please label
axes and where curves cross axes.
D. What is deadweight loss in this market?
Now suppose the Davis farmers market wants to set a specific tax
on this market to ensure the socially optimal level of
strawberries.
E. What specific tax should the Davis farmers market set?
Now assume that one farm owned by an ex-chancellor of UCD has
bribed the Davis farmers market officials to obtain a monopoly in
selling strawberries at the farmers market. Assume the demand and
marginal cost curves stay the same.
F. What is the un-regulated monopoly equilibrium in this market in
terms of price and quantity?
G. Please draw this market, including the following
curves—demand, marginal revenue, private marginal cost, and social
marginal cost. Also label the fol- lowing points—the un-regulated
monopoly equilibrium and the socially optimal equilibrium. Also
please label axes and where curves cross axes.
H. What is deadweight loss in this market?
Suppose again that the Davis farmers market wants to set a
specific tax on this market to ensure the socially optimal level of
strawberries.
I. What specific tax should the Davis farmers market set in the
case of the monopoly?