The goal of utilitarians is to
A)punish crimes and enforce voluntary agreements but not to redistribute income.
B)redistribute income until each person has equal earnings.
C)redistribute income until the marginal utility of the wealthiest person equals the total utility of the poorest person.
D)redistribute income based on the assumption of diminishing marginal utility.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Utilitarians seek to maximize overall happiness or utility in society. One way to achieve this goal is to redistribute income based on the principle of diminishing marginal utility, which states that as a person's income increases, the marginal utility (i.e. additional happiness or satisfaction) they derive from each additional dollar decreases. By redistributing income from the wealthy to the poor, utilitarians can increase overall happiness in society, as the poor derive more marginal utility from each additional dollar than the wealthy do. This approach does not involve equalizing incomes or achieving a specific balance between the rich and the poor, but instead aims to maximize overall happiness by redistributing income in the most efficient way possible.

The Goal of Utilitarians Is to