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Public Economics Lectures Part 1: Introduction

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Three Types of Questions in <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Economics</strong><br />

1 Positive analysis: What are the observed effects of government<br />

programs and interventions?<br />

2 Normative analysis: What should the government do if we can choose<br />

optimal policy?<br />

3 <strong>Public</strong> choice/Political Economy<br />

Develops theories to explain why the government behaves the way it<br />

does and identify optimal policy given political economy concerns<br />

Criticism of normative analysis: fails to take political constraints into<br />

account<br />

<strong>Public</strong> <strong>Economics</strong> <strong>Lectures</strong> () <strong>Part</strong> 1: <strong>Introduction</strong> 27 / 28

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