Briefly discuss the effect of price elasticity of supply and demand on tax incidence. When the demand for a product is less elastic than supply, pay the majority of the tax on a product; when supply for a product is less elastic than the demand, pay the majority of the tax on the pre firms consumers

Suppose the market for cigarette is competitive. An economist estimates the price elasticity of demand and supply for cigarette are -0.6 and 0.8 respectively. a. Suppose the government imposes a per-unit tax on the cigarette sellers. Who, buyers or sellers, would share a heavier tax burden? Explain your answers without calculation.  b. Suppose the government imposes a per-unit tax of $40 on the cigarette sellers. By how much would buyers and sellers of cigarettes share the tax burden respectively? Show your calculation.  c. Suppose many small sellers, such as newsstands, complain the heavy tax burden borne by them. Would it be better to these small sellers if the government decides to impose a $20 per-unit tax on both the buyers and the sellers of cigarette? Explain.

Question 36 For Questions 36-46, please refer to the following graph. The vertical distance between points A and B represents a per-unit tax in the market. tPrice 12 11 10 t. Supply H. G 4 3- 2- 1- Demand 0s 1 13 2 2s 3 33 4 45 s Deantit Without the tax, the equilibrium price in this market is $ , and the equilibrium quantity is units.

Government levied a tax on good A. The less elastic the demand is, the greater or the smaller the tax burden consumers bear? Also, is the after-tax equilibrium quantity the greater or smaller? Consumers’ tax burden: After-tax equilibrium quantity: