A Key Assumption of the Public Choice Model Is That

question 208

Essay

A key assumption of the public choice model is that government policymakers will pursue their own self-interests.Economists assume that consumers and firms pursue their own self-interests when they interact in competitive markets and this interaction results in efficient economic outcomes.Does the pursuit of self-interest by policymakers result in efficient economic outcomes?

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Definitions:

Social Welfare

Organized public or private social services for the assistance of disadvantaged groups.

Internalizing External Costs

The process of ensuring that the prices of goods and services fully reflect all the costs and benefits, including those impacts on the environment and human health that are not accounted for in the market price.

Environmental Degradation

The deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water, and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; and the extinction of wildlife.

Market Price

The current value at which a commodity, security, or service can be bought or sold in a marketplace.