The fact that government has a monopoly on force _____. a. means that government can protect individual rights but is strong enough to violate them b. means that government can protect individuals rights yet is strong enough not to violate them c. means that individuals have secure and well-defined property rights d. means that individuals […]
Which of these is an argument for using the potential compensation criterion? a. If the winners can compensate the losers, no one is harmed by employing the criterion. b. The criterion does not employ interpersonal utility calculations. c. If employed over a large number of policy changes, everyone should enjoy a net gain in the […]
In his classic treatise on public finance, Richard Musgrave says the economic activities of the state can be broken down into _____. a. allocation, distribution, production b. allocation, distribution, stabilization c. allocation, production, protection d. production, protection, allocation ANSWER b
Which of the following is not a limitation of the Pareto criteria? a. Almost any policy change will make at least one person worse off. b. The status quo is lent legitimacy from being the starting point for evaluating social welfare. c. The criteria cannot tell us if a particular policy change will make all […]
If the Pareto criteria are taken literally, _____ percent of United States residents must agree for a policy change to be a move towards efficiency. a. 25 b. 50 c. 75 d. 100 ANSWER d
The government protects rights in a market economy by providing _____. a. production b. allocation c. registration d. courts ANSWER d
Using the above figure and the Pareto criteria to determine the public interest, would a move from point A to point C be in the public interest? a. yes b. no c. possible, depending upon other factors d. cannot say using the Pareto criteria ANSWER d
Which of the following is not an institution used by government to secure rights? a. The police. b. The military. c. The courts. d. The copyright office. ANSWER d
Which of the following are reasons to consider the protective role of the state in an economic framework? a. The protection of rights is necessary for a functioning economy. b. The protection of rights comprises a large portion of the government spending. c. The protection of rights is necessary for international trade. d. Both a […]
Pareto optimality and Pareto superiority _____. a. concern only monetary gains and losses b. compare utility gains with utility losses c. do not require interpersonal utility comparisons d. are equivalent to the concept of economic efficiency ANSWER c
