Law and public administration

The reasons for public intervention: welfare economics, market failures, collective choice theory Public finance in Italy and the State Budget Public revenue and expenditure in Italy and European countries Tax theory Tax evasion Fiscal federalism: the public finance of Regions and Municipalities Spending on the welfare state (health, education, social security and policies to combat poverty) Public debt

Basic skills in micro and macroeconomics

Slides of the lessons aailable on moodle Sapienza Bosi P., Corso di Scienza delle Finanze, Il Mulino, Bologna, 7° edizione

Slides and additional material will be made available during the lessons

Free attendance

During the exam students will employ their knowledge and understanding in a manner that indicates they have competences to sustain arguments on issues of public finance. Written exam with 6 open questions (5 points each). Students will have 90 minutes to complete the exam. At the teacher's discretion, an oral integration can be required.

Slides and additional material will be made available during the lessons

The course is divided into five parts: A) Welfare economics as a guide for public policy (2 CFU): A1. Public intervention in the economy and welfare economics theorems; A2. Social welfare assessment: criteria, paradoxes, planned and decentralised choices; B. Public intervention and market failures (2 CFU): B1. Market failures and the role of the State: externalities and public goods; B2. (cont'd): merit goods, information asymmetries, competition policy, and natural monopolies; C. Fundamentals of taxation (2CFU): C1. Fundamental of taxation and effects of taxes; C2. Optimal taxation theory; D) Income, corporate and consumption taxes (2CFU): D1. Personal income tax; D2. Corporate tax and value added tax; E) Anti-poverty policies (2CFU): E1. Analysis of income distribution; E2. Redistribution policies. N.B. Lectures may cover modules in a different order from the one indicated.

There are no prior examinations, but to achieve a thorough understanding of the topics illustrated during the course, a basic knowledge of mathematics, microeconomics, political economy, and descriptive statistics is required. A brief review of these notions will be provided during the lectures.

J.Cullis and P. Jones, Public Finance and Public Choice. Analytical Perspectives, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

The course is taught in blended mode. Lectures, tutorials and seminars are complemented by asynchronous learning activities to be carried out through the Sapienza e-Learning platform.

Attendance is not compulsory. However, students are encouraged to attend lectures in order to understand the topics better and more quickly.

The final examination consists of a compulsory written test and an optional oral test. The written test aims to verify the level of knowledge of the fundamentals illustrated during the course, while the oral test allows further elements to be verified (such as the capacity for graphic analysis, mastery of the mathematical tools illustrated during the course, etc.). The written test consists of a questionnaire of twenty multiple-choice questions (four alternatives). During the course one or more intermediate tests will be carried out, and, at the student's choice, the average mark may constitute the final mark obtained. The final mark may be increased by submitting a short paper on a subject assigned by the Lecturer. Participation in the intermediate tests is not compulsory.

The course is taught in blended mode. Lectures, tutorials and seminars are complemented by asynchronous learning activities to be carried out through the Sapienza e-Learning platform.