Question

The following table contains statements that provide some analysis of policies that address smoking, lung cancer, and cigarette taxes.Categorize each of these statements as either positive or normative.Statement Positive Normative1.Lung cancer kills millions of people each year. 2.Too many people smoke. 3.If the government were to increase taxes on cigarettes, fewer people would smoke. 4.The government should increase taxes on cigarettes.

Answer 1

Answer:

Positive Statements: 1st & 2nd ; Normative Statements: 3rd & 4th

Explanation:

Positive Economics is objective & facts based actual economic issue description , explaining verifiable phenomenas (causal relationships).

Normative Economics is subjective & opinion based conclusive solutions to economic issues, including 'ought to be' unverifiable suggestions.

1. Lung cancer kills millions of people each year: reflects actual objective verifiable fact about an economic (health) issue.

2. Too many people smoke: denotes another actual objective variable fact connected to (potential cause of) the above economic (health) issue.

So , these two are Positive Statements.

3. If the government were to increase taxes on cigarettes, fewer people would smoke : Is subjective opinion based probable solution to the above economic (health) issue.

4. The government should increase taxes on cigarettes : Is an 'ought to' suggestion for an economic participant (govt) to solve the above economic (health) issue.

So , these two are Normative Statements