Economics: Public Economics and the Welfare State

Education facts

Code: NEKG52

In this course, you explore how governments shape markets, welfare, and inequality. You analyse taxes and public spending, using theory and empirical evidence. You understand the behaviour of policy makers, public officials and how welfare states like Sweden balance efficiency, equity and freedom. This course explores how governments shape economic outcomes through taxation, public spending and welfare-state institutions. You learn to understand how governments evolve and grow. We analyse policy from both a normative perspective (what governments should do) and a positive perspective (how policies shape economic incentives and influence behavior). By combining economic theory and empirical methods, you get a comprehensive understanding of how welfare states balance efficiency, equity and individual freedom. A central theme is the interaction between markets and the state: when public intervention can improve outcomes, and when it might create inefficiencies. We also highlight the challenges of designing sustainable welfare systems in open and aging economies. Specific attention is given to welfare state reform and so-called quasi-markets, where governments pay private firms to provide welfare services.

Entry requirements

At least 20 ECTS-credits from the introductory course in economics, of which at least 7.5 ECTS-credits in microeconomics are needed for admission to all intermediate courses in economics.

Education offerings

Each offering has its own dates and conditions. Closed offerings are retained as history and do not mean that a new application is open.

• Economics: Public Economics and the Welfare State

  Lund University

  Start date: 2 November 2026

  End date: 17 January 2027

  Pace of study: 50 %