Answer:
Explanation:
An excise tax tends to shift the supply curve to the left and decrease both consumer and producer surpluses.
Shift to the Left: An excise tax effectively increases the cost of production for producers, leading to a decrease in the quantity supplied at every given price level. This results in a leftward shift of the supply curve.
Impact on Consumer Surplus: With the decrease in quantity supplied, the market price typically rises. As a result, consumers end up paying a higher price for the same quantity of goods. This reduction in consumer surplus occurs because consumers are willing to pay less for the goods than the higher price they end up paying after the tax is imposed.
Impact on Producer Surplus: Similarly, the higher cost of production due to the tax reduces the profits earned by producers. Producer surplus decreases because producers are willing to accept a lower price for their goods than what they are actually receiving after the tax is imposed.
Overall, an excise tax leads to a decrease in both consumer and producer surpluses as it distorts the market equilibrium by raising prices and reducing the quantity exchanged in the market.