Public Finance
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with the theoretical basis and terminology of Public Finance in order to understand the normative reasons and positive effects of State intervention in market economies.
Expected learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to understand:
-why the State provides some goods and services and not others, how it finances them, and what the economics effects of this intervention are;
-why and with which tools the State can intervene to influence the market-determined distribution of income and wealth;
- the main features of social spending and the tax system in Italy.
-why the State provides some goods and services and not others, how it finances them, and what the economics effects of this intervention are;
-why and with which tools the State can intervene to influence the market-determined distribution of income and wealth;
- the main features of social spending and the tax system in Italy.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
1) Basics. Introduction: What is Public Economics? What is the economic role of governments in market economies? Normative analysis: First and Second theorems of Welfare Economics. Market failures: public goods, externalities, asymmetric information. Collective choice. Government failures. Equity and redistribution.
2) Taxation, equity and efficiency: general principles. Taxation and income distribution: tax incidence. Taxation and efficiency: excess burden of taxation. Optimal commodity taxation. Optimal pricing for natural monopolies. Personal taxes and individual behaviour: labour supply, unemployment benefits and savings decisions. Fiscal federalism.
3) Public debt, social spending and the tax system in Italy. Deficit spending. State-owned enterprises. The general government account, public debt and the EU fiscal governance rules. Social spending: health care and pensions. Tax evasion. The Italian tax system: the personal income tax, the VAT.
2) Taxation, equity and efficiency: general principles. Taxation and income distribution: tax incidence. Taxation and efficiency: excess burden of taxation. Optimal commodity taxation. Optimal pricing for natural monopolies. Personal taxes and individual behaviour: labour supply, unemployment benefits and savings decisions. Fiscal federalism.
3) Public debt, social spending and the tax system in Italy. Deficit spending. State-owned enterprises. The general government account, public debt and the EU fiscal governance rules. Social spending: health care and pensions. Tax evasion. The Italian tax system: the personal income tax, the VAT.
Prerequisites for admission
Microeconomics.
Teaching methods
Lectures (30 two-hour lectures). Classes (5 two-hour classes).
Teaching Resources
-Slides of lectures: slides will be made available on the myAriel Scienza delle finanze website (Santoni) as the course progresses.
-Rosen, H.S., Gayer, T. e Rapallini, C., Scienza delle finanze, McGraw-Hill, 6a ed., 2023.
(Note: student can use previous editions of the textbook. However, the references given below refer to the 6th edition of the textbook. Moreover, old textbook editions may not be up-to-date regarding institutional aspects of the public sector, which may be relevant for part 3 of the course).
1) chapters 1-2 (Introduction), 3 (Welfare economics), 4-5 and 10.1 (public goods, externalities, asymmetric information), 6 (collective choice and government failures), 7 (equity and income redistribution).
2) chapter 12, 14 (Tax incidence), 15 (Excess burden of taxation), 16 (Optimal commodity taxation, optimal pricing for natural monopolies), 17, 11.1 and 12.1 (Personal taxation and behaviour), 21 (Fiscal federalism).
3) chapters 8 (The general government account and the EU fiscal rules: see also slides), 9 ( deficit finance and the public debt), 10.2 (The health-care system in Italy), 12.6-12.10 (Social security in Italy), 16.5.3 (tax evasion), 18 (the personal income tax), 20.1 (the Value Added Tax on consumption).
-Rosen, H.S., Gayer, T. e Rapallini, C., Scienza delle finanze, McGraw-Hill, 6a ed., 2023.
(Note: student can use previous editions of the textbook. However, the references given below refer to the 6th edition of the textbook. Moreover, old textbook editions may not be up-to-date regarding institutional aspects of the public sector, which may be relevant for part 3 of the course).
1) chapters 1-2 (Introduction), 3 (Welfare economics), 4-5 and 10.1 (public goods, externalities, asymmetric information), 6 (collective choice and government failures), 7 (equity and income redistribution).
2) chapter 12, 14 (Tax incidence), 15 (Excess burden of taxation), 16 (Optimal commodity taxation, optimal pricing for natural monopolies), 17, 11.1 and 12.1 (Personal taxation and behaviour), 21 (Fiscal federalism).
3) chapters 8 (The general government account and the EU fiscal rules: see also slides), 9 ( deficit finance and the public debt), 10.2 (The health-care system in Italy), 12.6-12.10 (Social security in Italy), 16.5.3 (tax evasion), 18 (the personal income tax), 20.1 (the Value Added Tax on consumption).
Assessment methods and Criteria
Exam program and format
For attending students: There will be a mid-term exam (date TBA at the start of the teaching term). The mid-term exam will consist of two parts: i) 10 multiple-choice tests (1 point for each correct answer; -0.5 point for each wrong answer; no point for no answer); ii) 1 open question and/or exercise (5 points). Time allowed: 25 minutes. Attending students sitting the mid-term will complete their exam by taking an end-of-term exam, which will be held on the first official examination date (in June 2026). The end-of-term exam will consist of two parts: ii) 11 multiple-choice tests (1 point for each correct answer; -0.5 point for each wrong answer; no point for no answer); ii) 1 open question and/or exercise (5 points). Time allowed: 30 minutes. The final mark will be the sum of the mid-term and end-of-term examination marks. Note: the mid-term mark is valid only if students complete the exam in June 2026. Attending students can always sit the exam on the comprehensive program on any examination date.
For attending and not attending students: Starting with the June 2026 exam session, the exam will consist of two parts: i) 21 multiple-choice tests (1 point for each correct answer; -0.5 point for each wrong answer; no point for no answer); ii) 2 open question and/or exercise; 5 points for each question (10 points overall). Time allowed: 55 minutes. The exam will cover the total program.
Until the March 2026 exam session (included), the exam will be on the total program and will consist of 31 multiple-choice tests (1 point for each correct answer, -0.5 points for each wrong answer, 0 point for no answer). Time allowed: 45 minutes.
Note 1: there will be 6 examination dates overall.
Note 2: Italian is the official language of the course. Consequently, lectures, classes, teaching materials, examination papers will be in Italian without exceptions.
For attending students: There will be a mid-term exam (date TBA at the start of the teaching term). The mid-term exam will consist of two parts: i) 10 multiple-choice tests (1 point for each correct answer; -0.5 point for each wrong answer; no point for no answer); ii) 1 open question and/or exercise (5 points). Time allowed: 25 minutes. Attending students sitting the mid-term will complete their exam by taking an end-of-term exam, which will be held on the first official examination date (in June 2026). The end-of-term exam will consist of two parts: ii) 11 multiple-choice tests (1 point for each correct answer; -0.5 point for each wrong answer; no point for no answer); ii) 1 open question and/or exercise (5 points). Time allowed: 30 minutes. The final mark will be the sum of the mid-term and end-of-term examination marks. Note: the mid-term mark is valid only if students complete the exam in June 2026. Attending students can always sit the exam on the comprehensive program on any examination date.
For attending and not attending students: Starting with the June 2026 exam session, the exam will consist of two parts: i) 21 multiple-choice tests (1 point for each correct answer; -0.5 point for each wrong answer; no point for no answer); ii) 2 open question and/or exercise; 5 points for each question (10 points overall). Time allowed: 55 minutes. The exam will cover the total program.
Until the March 2026 exam session (included), the exam will be on the total program and will consist of 31 multiple-choice tests (1 point for each correct answer, -0.5 points for each wrong answer, 0 point for no answer). Time allowed: 45 minutes.
Note 1: there will be 6 examination dates overall.
Note 2: Italian is the official language of the course. Consequently, lectures, classes, teaching materials, examination papers will be in Italian without exceptions.
Professor(s)
Reception:
Office and feedback hours. Next meetings: Fri 4/7/25 at 14:30-17:30 hh; Mon 7/7/25 at 8:30-10:00 hh and 16:00-17:30 hh; Fri 18/7/25 at 8:30-11:30 hh.
Online on MT.