9 Normative and positive statements The following table cont

9. Normative and positive statements 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. Positive Normative Statement Lung cancer kills millions of people each year. Too many people smoke. If the government were to increase taxes on cigarettes, fewer people would smoke. The government should increase taxes on cigarettes.

Solution

Positive statements describe what was, what is and what would be under the given set of circumstances. All these statements are capable of empirical verification. On the basis of their empirical verification, we can find out the degree of truth in such statements. These statements do not pass any value judgements.

Normative statements describe \"what ought to be\". Its objective is to determine the norms or aims. These statements pronounce value judgements. These are opinions relating to right or wrong of a particular policy matter, and are always a matter of debate.

a) Positive statement

b) Normative statement

c) Positive statement

d) Normative statement