When majority rule voting is used to determine whether to purchase a public good,
A) the efficient outcome is assured.
B) the median voter gets her way.
C) the sum of the marginal benefits must equal marginal cost.
D) the marginal benefit of the good to the median voter equals the good's marginal cost.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In majority rule voting, the alternative preferred by the median voter is selected. This is because the median voter influences the outcome of the vote, and the alternative that receives more than half the votes is the one preferred by the median voter. This ensures that the outcome is at least acceptable to the largest number of voters, and may be efficient if the median voter has preferences that are aligned with the efficient outcome. However, it is not guaranteed that the efficient outcome will be chosen, as it depends on the preferences and voting behavior of the voters. The sum of marginal benefits does not have to equal marginal cost, and the marginal benefit of the median voter may not equal the marginal cost of the public good.

When Majority Rule Voting Is Used to Determine Whether to Purchase