Chapter 17, Problem 11PAE

From an economic viewpoint, the optimal amount of pollution a. is zero because all pollution imposes costs on society. b. is that amount firms create when they maximize economic profits by setting their marginal private costs equal to market price. c. is that amount where the marginal social costs of producing a good precisely equals the price of the good. d. Both answers b. and c. are correct.

(Optimal Provision of Public Goods) Using at least two individual consumers, show how the market demand curve is derived from individual demand curves (a) for a private good and (b) for a public good. Once you have derived the market demand curve in each case, introduce a market supply curve and then show the optimal level of production.