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"The problem with our democratic institutions is that they don't correctly reflect the will of the people! If the people鈥攔ather than self-interested politicians or lobbyists鈥攈ad control, we wouldn't have to worry about the government taking actions that don't maximize allocative and productive efficiency." Critique.

Short Answer

Expert verified

If the people had control over decision-making for the market, the action might not always maximize the allocative and productive efficiency because of the market failures.

Step by step solution

01

Effect of decision making of democratic institutions in the market

The democratic institutions manipulate the people's will according to their interests. Politicians serve special interest groups or lobbyists to gather the funds for elections. They make irrational economic decisions to influence people so that they are again elected as representatives. Therefore, economic resources are used in a way to attract support for elections. This leads to economic inefficiency.

02

Effect of decision making by people in the market

Suppose the market is left to the people with no interference by the government. In that case, two types of markets can occur, a perfect market (Maximum total surplus with allocative and productive efficiency) and an imperfect market (concentration of market power).

A perfect market is rarely seen in reality. Thus, the possibility of market failures occurs. This includes the following:

  • The concentration of market power: It results in higher prices and lower quantities. It creates a possibility of price discrimination.

  • Asymmetric information: This leads to a selection of bad goods and services due to imperfect information.

  • Externalities: It can also result in inefficiencies like underproduction or overproduction of goods in case of positive or negative externalities, respectively.

  • Public goods: The free-rider problem prevents the private sector from producing these goods. These goods may not be produced at all if left to the will of the people.

Thus, decision-making by people (free market) does not guarantee allocative and productive efficiency in the market.

03

Comparing the decision making of free-market (will of the people) with democratic institutions

The free market is not a guaranteed solution to achieve economic efficiency. Democratic institutions have their own issues, but they ensure that the market is not left unregulated and those market failures are corrected.

They ensure that public goods are produced (through taxation), externalities are corrected (using the means of direct controls, subsidies, and taxes), asymmetric information is solved (through regulatory and policy actions), and concentration of power in few hands is checked (like Anti-trust laws).

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Most popular questions from this chapter

We can apply voting paradoxes to the highway construction example of Table 5.2. Suppose there are only five people in a society, and each favors one of the five highway construction options listed in Table 5.2 (鈥淣o new construction鈥 is one of the five options). Explain which of these highway options will be selected using a majority paired-choice vote. Will this option be the optimal size of the project from an economic perspective?

Plan
Total cost of project (\()
Marginal cost (\))
Total Benefit
Marginal Benefit
Net Benefit (TB-TC)
No new construction
0-0--
A: Widen existing highways
5050200200150
B: New 2-lane highways
14090350150210
C: New 4-lane highways
240100470120230
D: New 6-lane highways
620380580110-40

What is rent-seeking, and how does it differ from the kinds of profit maximization and profit-seeking that we discussed in previous chapters? Provide an actual or hypothetical example of rent seeking by firms in an industry, by a union, or by a professional association (for example, physicians, school teachers, or lawyers). Why do elected officials often accommodate rent-seeking behavior, particularly by special-interest groups located in their home states?

Political advertising is often directed at winning over so-called swing voters, whose votes might go either way. Suppose that two political parties鈥攖he Freedom Party and the Liberty Party鈥攄isagree on whether to build a new road. Polling shows that of 1,000 total voters, 450 are firmly for the new road and 450 are firmly against the new road. Thus, each party will try to win over a majority of the 100 remaining swing voters.

a. Suppose that each party spends $5,000 on untargeted TV, radio, and newspaper ads that are equally likely to reach any and all voters. How much per voter will be spent by both parties combined?

b. Suppose that, instead, each party could direct all of its spending toward just the swing voters by using targeted social media ads. If all of the two parties鈥 combined spending is targeted at just swing voters, how much will be spent per swing voter?

c. Suppose that only the Freedom Party knows how to target voters using social media. How much per swing voter will it be spending? If at the same time the Liberty Party is still using only untargeted TV, radio, and newspaper ads, what portion of its total spending is likely to be reaching the 100, swing voters? How much per swing voter does that portion amount to?

d. Looking at your answers to part c, how much more per swing voter will the Freedom Party be spending than the Liberty Party? If spending per swing voter influences elections, which party is more likely to win?

Use the distinction between the characteristics of private goods and public goods to determine whether the following should be produced through the market system or provided by government: (a) French fries, (b) airport screening, (c) court systems, (d) mail delivery, and (e) medical care. Explain your answers.

Suppose that total costs (TC) double for each project listed in Table 5.2. Which project(s) is (are) now economically viable?

a. Plan A only

b. Plans C and D only

c. Plans B and C

d. Plans A and B only

Plan
Total cost of project (\()
Marginal cost (\))
Total Benefit
Marginal Benefit
Net Benefit (TB-TC)
No new construction
0-0--
A: Widen existing highways
100-200--
B: New 2-lane highways
280-350--
C: New 4-lane highways
480-470--
D: New 6-lane highways
1240-580--
See all solutions

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