Name:_______________________
Economics 854 Final
Prof. Bryan
Caplan
Spring, 2015
Instructions:
· You have 120 minutes to complete this exam.
· Write all answers directly on the exam.
· You may use any books, notes, or other materials that you wish, but avoid spending too much time on any one question.
· Partial credit may be awarded on all questions.
· The maximum possible number of points is 120.
· You should have five pages, counting this one.
Part 1: True,
False, and Explain
(10 points each - 2
for the right answer, and 8 for the explanation)
State whether each of the following six propositions is true
or false. In 2-3 sentences (and
clearly-labeled diagrams,
when helpful), explain why.
1. “A great deal of our information about
revolutionary overthrows comes from the memoirs of people who have participated
in them, either on the winning or the losing side. These people rarely explain their own
participation or nonparticipation in terms of selfish motives. Indeed, they very commonly ascribe
selfish motives to rivals or to the other side, but always explain their own
actions in terms of devotion to the public good.” (Tullock, “The
Paradox of Revolution”)
T, F, and Explain: Tullock
is rebutting critics of the SIVH.
2. T, F, and
Explain: Controlling for
religious variables consistently depresses the estimated effect of ideology on
party identification by over one-third.
3. T,
F, and Explain: Mosca
believes that political actors are irrational, but never suggests that they are
what Caplan calls “rationally irrational.”
4. Suppose voters consistently used Beckerian punishments to discipline politicians.
T,
F, and Explain: This would backfire because it would reduce the
supply of competent politicians eager to implement the median voters’
preferences.
Part 2: Short
Essays
(20 points each)
In 6-8 sentences, answer all of the following questions.
1. “If
voters were really group-interested, group leaders would try harder to negotiate with rival groups instead of
fighting with them.” Flesh
out this argument, then apply it to a real-world example of your choosing.
2. Name two major facts the sociopathic bandit
model designed to explain? Can the
stationary bandit model provide plausible alternative explanations of these two
facts?
3. Out of the twenty five common objections
to futarchy (Hanson, “Shall We Vote on Values But Bet on
Beliefs?”), which is the best? State the argument in its strongest
form, then argue that Hanson’s response is unconvincing.
4. Suppose Canada adopted anarcho-capitalism. Would the Canadian experiment be able to survive the international reaction? Why or why not?