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LAFFER CURVE: The graphical inverted-U relation between tax rates and total tax collections by government. Developed by economist Arthur Laffer, the Laffer curve formed a key theoretical foundation for supply-side economics of President Reagan during the 1980s. It is based on the notion that government collects zero revenue if the tax rate is 0% and if the tax rate is 100%. At a 100% tax rate no one has the incentive to work, produce, and earn income, so there is no income to tax. As such, the optimum tax rate, in which government revenue is maximized, lies somewhere between 0% and 100%. This generates a curve shaped like and inverted U, rising from zero to a peak, then falling back to zero. If the economy is operating to the right of the peak, then government revenue can be increased by decreasing the tax rate. This was used to justify supply-side economic policies during the Reagan Administration, especially the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (Kemp-Roth Act).
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                           POINT ELASTICITY: The relative responsiveness of a change in one variable (call it B) to an infinitesimally small change in another variable (call it A). The notion of point elasticity typically comes into play when discussing the elasticity at a specific point on a curve. Point elasticity can be calculated in a number of different ways. Sophisticated economists, using sophisticated mathematical techniques (better known as calculus) calculate point elasticity by using derivatives. Derivatives are calculus talk for infinitesimally small changes. The formula for calculating point elasticity using calculus is given as:The symbol that looks like a backward six (∂) is the mathematical notation for a derivative, or infinitesimally small change. The first term on the right-hand side of this formula is the percentage change in variable B and the second term is the percentage change in variable A.Unsophisticated folks can also calculate point elasticity without the use of sophisticated calculus. This is done with the midpoint elasticity formula, presented here: midpoint
elasticity | = | (B2 - B1)
(B2 + B1)/2 | ÷ | (A2 - A1)
(A2 + A1)/2 |
The first term on the right-hand side of the equation is the percentage change in variable B. The second term is the percentage change in variable A. The individual items are interpreted as this: A1 is the initial value of A before any changes, A2 is the ending value after A changes, B1 is the initial value of B before any changes, and B2 is the ending value after B changes.This midpoint elasticity formula actually calculates the average or arc elasticity of the entire line segment. However, it also calculates the point elasticity for the midpoint of a line segment.
Recommended Citation:POINT ELASTICITY, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2024. [Accessed: April 25, 2024].
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MC
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