Negative externalities of production
Syllabus: Explain, using diagrams and examples, the concepts of negative externalities of production and consumption, and the welfare loss associated with the production or consumption of a good or service.
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1. Draw and label the Price and Quantity axes
2. Draw the downward sloping Marginal Benefit (demand) curve MB
3. Draw the upward sloping Marginal Private Cost curve MPC
4. Indicate the equilibrium price and quantity level (NB This is what market forces of supply and demand lead to) In other words resources are allocated to this level of output (Qm) and this price (Pm)
5. Draw in the Marginal Social Cost (MSC) curve, which must be higher than MPC because it now also includes external costs
6. Indicate the Price (Ps) and Quantity (Qs) that would be the equilibrium if full social costs were to be included in the decision making processes
7. Compare the market quantity with the Social Optimum and you can see more is produced (more resources allocated) than society as a whole wants or needs (Qm>Qs)