Final answer:
The key formula for political success behind the sugar quota is securing support from sugar-producing regions and industries, which are benefited by protectionist measures such as tariffs or quotas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Key Formula for Political Success Behind the Sugar Quota
The key formula for political success behind the sugar quota involves several factors. However, given the context provided about protectionist measures and the influence of the sugar lobby, the most fitting option appears to be C) Securing support from sugar-producing regions and industries.
Protectionism in the form of tariffs or quotas on imported sugar serves to protect domestic sugar industries from foreign competition, thus ensuring the support of domestic producers and the regions where sugar production is a significant economic activity.
While there may also be elements of stabilizing prices and balancing interests, the political success often comes from the backing of a powerful, concentrated lobby such as the sugar producers who stand to gain the most from these protectionist policies.
Protectionism benefits the domestic sugar producers by keeping the domestic prices higher than they would be with free competition from international markets. These policies do not necessarily guarantee stable prices but do insulate domestic producers from fluctuations in the global market.
On the other hand, balancing the interests of producers and consumers would suggest a more moderate approach, where consumer interests (such as lower prices) are also considered, which seems not to be fully the case in the context described.