# Consumption Externalities and Pigouvian Ranking -- A Generalized Cobb-Douglas Example

## Author Info

• Wendner, Ronald

## Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of consumption externalities on the Pigouvian ranking,'' according to which the second-best level of public good provision is \emph{smaller} than the first-best level. Consumption externalities introduce exceptions to the Pigouvian ranking. Two necessary and sufficient conditions for reversal of the Pigouvian ranking are identified, when preferences for private goods (Cobb-Douglas) and the public good are weakly separable: (i) consumption generates a \emph{negative} externality, (ii) utility is not too concave in the subutility of private goods. If preferences are \emph{strongly} separable in the public good, the Pigouvian ranking is reversed if and only if the second-best consumption price is lower than the corrective (Pigouvian) consumption price.

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## Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by University Library of Munich, Germany in its series MPRA Paper with number 8540.

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Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:8540

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## Related research

Keywords: consumption externality public good provision; first-best; second-best; Pigouvian ranking;

Find related papers by JEL classification:

• D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
• H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
• H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies

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## References

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