DXE_HOPO Economic Policy

Faculty of Economics and Administration
Spring 2014
Extent and Intensity
24/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. Ing. Antonín Slaný, CSc. (lecturer)
Ing. Petr Harasimovič (assistant), Ing. Miroslav Hloušek, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
prof. Ing. Antonín Slaný, CSc.
Department of Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Contact Person: Mgr. Jarmila Šveňhová
Supplier department: Department of Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Timetable
Wed 9. 4. 10:00–11:30 168, 12:30–14:00 168, Wed 16. 4. 10:00–11:30 168, 12:30–14:00 168, Wed 23. 4. 10:00–11:30 168, 12:30–14:00 168, Wed 30. 4. 10:00–11:30 168, 12:30–14:00 168, Wed 7. 5. 10:00–11:30 168, 12:30–14:00 168, Wed 14. 5. 10:00–11:30 166, 12:30–14:00 166
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The goal of the course is to help students understand the economic motivation of economic policy-makers and to see the economic background (i.e. not only the consequences but also the causes) of political decisions, which economic context is not always obvious. Understanding economic motives of relevant groups of economic subjects helps better understanding of the relationship between economic variables and their interaction.
Syllabus
  • 1 Introduction to the course
  • 2 Introduction to social choice theory (aggregation of individual preferences, Arrow impossibility theorem, possible solutions to AIT)
  • 3 Theories of electoral competition (Downs' model, median voter theorem, probabilistic voting model, lobbyism)
  • 4 "Agency problem" in politics (political rent and the commitment problem)
  • 5 Partisan politics (ideological preferences)
  • 6 General interest politics (welfare programs, pension system, unemployment insurance)
  • 7 Special interest politics (interest groups)
  • 8 Electoral systems (majoritarian vs. proportional systems – consequences for the size of political rent and the size and composition of redistributive policies)
  • 9 Political systems (presidential vs. parliamentary democracy – consequences for the size of political rent and the size and composition of redistributive policies)
  • 10 Dynamic politics (politico-economic cycle, public debt)
  • 11 Dynamic politics (capital taxation, economic growth)
  • 12 Dictatorial vs. democratic regimes
Literature
    recommended literature
  • PERSSON, Torsten and Guido TABELLINI. Political economics : explaining economic policy. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2000, xix, 533. ISBN 9780262161954. info
Teaching methods
Lectures
Assessment methods
Written exam, to pass the exam the student has to achieve at least 60% score.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on completion of the course: seminární práce
The course is taught annually.
Information about innovation of course.
This course has been innovated under the project "Inovace studia ekonomických disciplín v souladu s požadavky znalostní ekonomiky (CZ.1.07/2.2.00/28.0227)" which is cofinanced by the European Social Fond and the national budget of the Czech Republic.

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The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/econ/spring2014/DXE_HOPO