2004年考研英语阅读理解PartAText2.docxVIP

2004年考研英语阅读理解PartAText2 Part A Text 2In many societies, some goods and services are allocatedthrough the market and some are allocated by governmentdecision. The question of which should be done through the marketand which should be done through government is one of the oldest,most fundamental questions of economics. As most societies havemoved toward a greater reliance on markets in recent years, thisquestion has received renewed attention.There exists a broad consensus among economists that marketsare an efficient way to allocate many goods and services. Whengoods and services are allocated through markets, producers andconsumers are brought together in a way that increases economicefficiency. Producers have an incentive to produce goods and servicesthat people want, because they can make profits by doing so. Consumershave an incentive to use goods and services in the most effective waypossible, because they must pay for the goods and services they use.However, there are many goods and services that are unlikely to beallocated efficiently by markets. For some goods and services, theprofits that can be made by firms that provide them are simplyinsufficient to cover the costs of production. In these cases, therewould be too few firms providing the goods or services, if they wereallocated only through markets. In other cases, markets may not beable to ensure that goods and services are provided to everyone whoneeds them. This can happen, for example, if people cannot afford topay for the goods or services they need.In such cases, a government may step in and allocate the goods orservices directly. In these situations, the goal is not to increaseeconomic efficiency, but rather to ensure that everyone has access tothe goods and services they need. Governments can achieve this goalby using taxation to finance the provision of goods and services thatare not allocated efficiently by markets.In addition, there are some goods and services