The Parks Department is hosting a BBQ in the local park. Ron decides to bring a pig to the park because he wants people to see their food before consuming it. He is not allowed to because it is against the law and violates health codes despite his beliefs that he should be allowed to as the Parks Department director.
See more: externalities, government regulation, negative externalities, regulation, social costs
Ron is getting audited, so the Parks Department helps him look through receipts to help him. Ron doesn’t believe in banks, so he potentially stores his money around town in the form of gold buried around town.
See more: banks, gold, gold standard, liquidity, medium of exchange, money, money leakages, money supply, store of value
Ron describes a gentleman’s agreement he made with a man to build a dining table in exchange for a 60 feet of copper pipe and a half pig. The barter system is inefficient because of how hard it is to properly measure the trades.
See more: barter system, gains from trade, medium of exchange, store of value, transactions
A young student needs to interview someone for a school project and stumbles upon Ron in the office. Her project is supposed to focus on the role of government in society, which gives Ron the opportunity to share his libertarian views about the government’s purpose. After describing these views, the young student’s parent comes back very unhappy.
See more: efficiency, equity, fairness, role of government, taxes
Ron won’t endorse a product unless he uses it exclusively and actually believe in it. Firms in imperfect markets often use celebrity advertising because it serves as a signal that the person selling the product actually believes in the product.
See more: advertising, monopolistic competition, product differentiation
Ron has carefully hidden his birthday information from his friends, but Leslie uncovers the date when Ron decided to get a free scoop of rum raisin ice cream on his birthday from Baskin Robbins. While he didn’t realize it at the time, his free scoop of ice cream eventually cost him an important piece of personal information he was trying to hide.
See more: free lunch, NSTAFL, opportunity costs
Ron isn’t happy with the steak he was served, so instead he asks the waiter to give him all the bacon and eggs they have. While a bit extreme, his preferences and utility function should be respected in society despite the potential for future health issues.
See more: intrinsic value, moral hazard, obesity, preferences, subjective value, utility
Ron teaches his young basketball players that capitalism is God’s way of determining who is smart and who is poor. In the long run of a perfectly competitive market, the worst performers should be pushed out of the market.
See more: capitalism, comparative systems, globalization, government programs, government spending, inequality, normative statements, taxes
The citizens of Pawnee drink from a water fountain by placing their whole mouth on the nozzle. Ann correctly points out the externality in the situation that by kissing one water fountain drinker, you’re kissing them all.
See more: common resources, externalities, negative externalities, private benefits, social costs
While on suspension, Leslie buys her officemates Christmas gifts based on their personalities. Ron mentions how he only gives people $20, but realizes how great Leslie’s gifts are and how the office needs to remedy the gift giving imbalance. While Ron takes the most efficient outcome for gift giving, he’s realizing that there may need to be a bit more thought put into the process.
See more: behavioral, equity, gift giving, preferences, utility
Economics of Parks & Recreation 