Question

Suppose that the U.S. government decides to charge wine consumers a tax. Before the tax, 50,000 bottles of wine were sold every week at a price of $5 per bottle. After the tax, 44,000 bottles of wine are sold every week; consumers pay $6 per bottle (including the tax), and producers receive $2 per bottle. The amount of the tax on a bottle of wine is $ per bottle. Of this amount, the burden that falls on consumers is $ per bottle, and the burden that falls on producers is $ per bottle. True or False: The effect of the tax on the quantity sold would have been larger if

Answer 1

$4

$1 and $3

False

Explanation:

As per the data given in the question,

a)

Amount of tax for each bottle is $4 because the sellers are receiving $2 and buyers are paying $6. Therefore,

Amount of the tax on a bottle of wine is $6 - $2 = $4

b)

Burden on the consumer = $6 - $5

= $1

Burden on the seller = $4 - $1

= $3

c)

False, because the tax incidence depends on the flexibility or elasticity of market.