In: Economics
How a more or less elastic import demand curve, as well as a more or less elastic export supply curve, determines who carries the main burden of a tariff – the importing consumers or the exporting suppliers?
The market is governed by the forces of supply and demand and
without any outside intervention, these factors decides the
equilibrium price as well as quantity. If there is any intervention
in the market such imposition of tariffs then it distorts the
market and affects the equilibrium as well as welfare of the
society.
The tariff will be shared by the buyers and seller but the extent
of that will be decided by the elasticity. If the demand is
inelastic in nature as compared to the supply curve then the higher
proportion of tariff will be borne by the buyers. Conversely, if
the demand curve is elastic as compared to the supply curve then
the seller will bear a higher proportion of the tariff. If the
price elasticity of supply and price elasticity of demand has the
same value then the burden of tariff will be shared equally by both
the parties.
The mathematical expression can be written as follows
Tariff Incidence on Supplier = PES / (PES -
PED)
Tariff Incidence on Buyer = (-PED) / (PES - PED)
PES = Price Elasticity of Supply
PED = Price Elasticity of Demand