Which one of the following statements is most clearly inconsistent with the economic way of thinking?
A) "If you give a person a fish, you feed him for a day; if you teach him to fish, you feed him for life."
B) "If the government provides a good free to citizens, then the opportunity cost of the good is zero."
C) "If you derive the same satisfaction from a hamburger as a chicken sandwich, it makes sense to have the cheaper alternative for lunch."
D) "When it is cheaper to have someone else mow your lawn than to mow it yourself, hiring someone to do the job is consistent with economizing behavior."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The economic way of thinking recognizes that there's always an opportunity cost associated with any choice. In statement B, it's claimed that if the government provides a good for free, the opportunity cost is zero, which is not true. There is always an opportunity cost, whether it's the cost of the resources used to produce the good or the cost of alternative uses of those resources. This statement ignores the fact that resources are scarce and have alternative uses.

Which One of the Following Statements Is Most Clearly Inconsistent