What Problem Is Caused by Subsidizing a Natural Monopoly Regulated

question 317

Multiple Choice

What problem is caused by subsidizing a natural monopoly regulated using a marginal cost pricing rule?

• A) The regulated firm ends up earning an economic profit.
• B) Consumers pay too much for the product of the monopoly.
• C) This policy is a two-part tariff, which creates inefficiency.
• D) The taxes required to gain the revenue used as the subsidy result in a deadweight loss that subtracts from gains in efficiency which result from use of the marginal cost pricing rule.
• E) The regulated firm goes out of business if it is subsidized.

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Definitions:

Confounding

A situation in which the effects of two variables on a response cannot be distinguished from each other, potentially leading to erroneous conclusions in an experiment or study.

Deception

The act of misleading or falsely persuading others, often for personal gain or to avoid negative consequences.

Random Assignment

A method used in experiments to evenly distribute participants across various experimental conditions, minimizing biases and ensuring statistical validity.

Generalizable

The extent to which findings from a study or research can be applied to larger populations or different contexts beyond the original subjects.