According to public choice theory, rational voter ignorance occurs because ____________.
A) voters have nothing at stake in elections
B) the marginal benefit of voters acquiring information is very high
C) the marginal benefit of voters acquiring information exceeds the marginal cost of becoming informed
D) the marginal benefit of voters acquiring information is smaller than the marginal cost becoming informed

Question

According to public choice theory, rational voter ignorance occurs because ____________.
A) ​voters have nothing at stake in elections
B) ​the marginal benefit of voters acquiring information is very high
C) ​the marginal benefit of voters acquiring information exceeds the marginal cost of becoming informed
D) ​the marginal benefit of voters acquiring information is smaller than the marginal cost becoming informed

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rational voter ignorance occurs because the marginal benefit of voters acquiring information is smaller than the marginal cost of becoming informed. In other words, voters face a trade-off between spending time and effort to become informed about political issues and the benefits they will receive from that knowledge. This leads many voters to choose not to become fully informed, as their individual vote is unlikely to have a significant impact on the outcome of the election.

According to Public Choice Theory, Rational Voter Ignorance Occurs Because