are roads , in any sense, a 'free good' from an economic viewpoint ?
2006-09-24 15:09:52 · 5 answers · asked by Fiona 1 in Social Science ➔ Economics
Since roads are built with money collected from taxation, it is not a free good. It is a public good. But a lot of free riders can enjoy this public good. People taht don´t pay taxes, illegal residents, people from out of town, people just passing by, they can all enjoy the public good, and didn´t pay for the taxes that built and repair them. They are free riders. A better example for a true free good is the air we breath.
Good luck!
2006-09-24 18:16:37 · answer #1 · answered by Chess 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While the good is not technically "free" since you do pay for it with your tax dollars, it is a public good that is (with the exception of toll roads) free at point of use. As such a good, the per-unit price of driving on these roads does not represent the true cost of driving on them and this causes what is known as "the tragedy of the commons" where they are used beyond the economically efficent point. In roads, this results in traffic jams.
2006-09-24 16:34:36 · answer #2 · answered by Jamie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In general, no, you pay taxes if you buy gasoline or tires; or you pay tolls on a toll road. However, if you live in one city but do a lot of driving in a different city in which you pay no taxes, the use of that road is indeed free to you. Also, for unlicensed modes of transportation, i.e. running, walking, bicycling, etc., the road is in effect a free good to those users.
2006-09-24 15:17:20 · answer #3 · answered by spongeworthy_us 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's been a while since I've taken government, but I guess that you pay for public roads from taxes.
2006-09-24 15:18:33 · answer #4 · answered by Giuleah 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
no because our tax dollars go to fixing them and putting them there in the first place
2006-09-24 15:12:32 · answer #5 · answered by ann.natalie 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋