Bill the Butcher Is Upset Because the Government Plans to Tax

question 202

Essay

Bill the butcher is upset because the government plans to tax beef $.10 a pound. "I hate paying taxes," he says. "Because of this, I'm raising all my beef prices by $.10 a pound. The consumers will bear this burden, not me." Do you see anything wrong with this way of thinking? Explain.

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Definitions:

MPC

The marginal propensity to consume, which is the portion of additional income that a consumer spends on goods and services.

Consumption

The total value of goods and services consumed by households and businesses.

APC

Average Propensity to Consume, the fraction of total disposable income that households plan to spend on consumption as opposed to saving.

Income

The financial gain accrued by an individual or entity within a specified period, often through wages, salaries, or investments.