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Date November 2020 Marks available 10 Reference code 20N.1.SL.TZ0.4
Level Standard level Paper Paper 1 Time zone Time zone 0
Command term Explain Question number 4 Adapted from N/A

Question

Explain how government expenditures are used to promote equity in the distribution of income.

[10]
a.

Evaluate the impact on efficiency in the allocation of resources when the government uses taxation to promote equity.

[15]
b.

Markscheme

Marks should be allocated according to the paper 1 markbands for May 2013 forward, part A.

Answers may include:

a.

Marks should be allocated according to the paper 1 markbands for May 2013 forward, part B.

Answers may include:

Evaluation may include: consideration of the extent to which there is a trade-off between equity and efficiency and why an attempt to improve equity can have positive and negative effects on efficiency. Evaluation can consider the impact on incentives to work and whether higher taxation does actually lead to disincentives.

b.

Examiners report

There were some good answers to this question with many candidates showing a clear understanding of equity in terms of opportunity and fairness and explaining how government spending on welfare payments, education and healthcare can improve equity. Many students used the Lorenz curve diagram and Gini coefficient to illustrate how equity could be improved by reducing income inequality. 

a.

This was quite a challenging question for students and this was reflected in the answers of candidates. The strongest responses considered how progressive taxation could improve equity, but how it may have a negative impact on worker and entrepreneur incentives which could reduce economic efficiency. It was also good to see students considering how indirect taxation on luxury goods could be used to improve equity but might cause unemployment in those industries which could lead to inefficiency. Too many answers got rather tied up in the way progressive taxation works or drifted onto other areas of taxation that would not really be effective at improving equity. 

b.

Syllabus sections

Last exams 2021 » Section 2: Macroeconomics » 2.3 Macroeconomic objectives » Equity in the distribution of income » Other measures to promote equity
Last exams 2021 » Section 2: Macroeconomics » 2.3 Macroeconomic objectives » Equity in the distribution of income
First exams 2022 » Unit 3: Macroeconomics » 3.4 Economics of inequality and poverty » 3.4.9 Further policies to reduce poverty, income and wealth inequality
Last exams 2021 » Section 2: Macroeconomics » 2.3 Macroeconomic objectives
First exams 2022 » Unit 3: Macroeconomics » 3.4 Economics of inequality and poverty
Last exams 2021 » Section 2: Macroeconomics
First exams 2022 » Unit 3: Macroeconomics
First exams 2022
Last exams 2021

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