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Economics glossary · When markets fail

Social cost

What social cost means in economics, as one of private, external and social cost, with an example and a question to test yourself.

Definition
Social cost
Social costs are the full costs of production to society: the private costs a firm incurs plus the external costs that pass on to others.
Example

Can you think of an example of social cost?

Test yourself

Can you name the three kinds of cost on an externality diagram?

Learn it properly: the module

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