Question 1

Why do many prospective voters choose to watch sports on television rather than watching the news or political roundtables? In your answer,be sure to mention the role played by rational ignorance.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why do many prospective voters choose to...

Question 2

Under certain circumstances,a congressional district may be a special interest group.

Accepted Answer

A congressional district represents a specific geographical area within a state and the constituents within that district may have shared interests and concerns that differ from those of other districts within the state or the country as a whole. In this sense, a congressional district can be seen as a special interest group that advocates for the specific needs and interests of its constituents.

Question 3

What is the median voter model? Describe four different ways in which this theory is predicted to impact the behavior of political candidates.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the median voter model? Describe...

Question 4

Simple majority voting will generate the same result whether taxes are equally divided or unequally divided.

Accepted Answer

Simple majority voting may lead to different outcomes depending on how taxes are divided because individuals' preferences and voting behaviors can change based on their perceived benefit or cost from the tax allocation.

Question 5

Rent seeking is more likely to occur in a family when the parents make their inheritance plans clear by telling the children ahead of time that their estate will be divided equally among the children (and that under no circumstances will the parents change their minds)than when there is more uncertainty with regards to the parents' inheritance plans.

Accepted Answer

Rent seeking is the use of resources to secure economic gain from others without creating any benefits to society as a whole. Making inheritance plans clear may actually reduce rent seeking as it sets clear expectations and reduces uncertainty. Therefore, the statement is false.

Question 6

When a decision is made based on a simple majority vote it is possible for the total benefits to the community of this decision to be less than the total costs to the community of this decision.

Accepted Answer

This is possible because a simple majority vote only considers the preference of the majority, while neglecting the preferences of the minority. The decision made based on a simple majority vote may not necessarily be the one that maximizes the total benefits and minimizes the total costs for the entire community.

Question 7

People will be more likely to vote if they believe that their vote will determine the outcome of the election.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that people are more likely to vote when they believe their vote will make a difference in the outcome of the election. This is called the "efficacy" of voting. When people feel that their vote is consequential, they are more motivated to participate in the electoral process.

Question 8

Rational ignorance exists because voters are apathetic.

Accepted Answer

Rational ignorance occurs because the cost of becoming fully informed about a political issue outweighs the perceived benefit, not necessarily due to apathy.

Question 9

Society as a whole is made worse off by rent seeking behavior by producers.

Accepted Answer

Rent seeking behavior by producers leads to an inefficient allocation of resources and leads to higher prices for consumers. This results in a loss of overall welfare for society. Therefore, society as a whole is made worse off by rent seeking behavior by producers.

Question 10

It has been suggested by some economists that rent seeking activity often occurs within families,particularly when an inheritance is involved.

Accepted Answer

Rent seeking refers to the activity of individuals or groups who seek to increase their share of existing wealth without creating new wealth. In the context of families, inheritance can lead to rent seeking behavior where family members compete for a larger share of the inheritance rather than creating new wealth or contributing to society. This can lead to conflicts and tensions within the family.

Question 11

Logrolling is the exchange of votes to gain support for legislation.

Accepted Answer

Logrolling is a common practice in legislative bodies where members exchange votes on different bills or amendments to gain support for their own legislation. It involves a quid-pro-quo exchange of political support rather than a direct exchange of money or goods.

Quiz 20: Public Choice and Special-Interest-Group Politics