Final answer:
The statement about majority rule failing to produce a clear outcome in the presence of more than two choices is true, referring to the phenomenon known as the voting cycle or Condorcet paradox, which reveals the limitations of simple majority decision-making.
Step-by-step explanation:
Majority Rule and Voting Cycles
The statement that majority rule can fail to produce a single preferred outcome when there are more than two choices is true. This situation is a well-documented occurrence in a voting theory known as a voting cycle or Condorcet paradox. It happens when the majority prefers policy A over policy B, policy B over policy C, but also policy C over policy A. This cycle means that there is no clear winner, as the majority preference is inconsistent when comparing all choices directly against each other.
Voting cycles illustrate a fundamental problem in social choice theory and demonstrate the challenges in designing a fair and consistent decision-making process. The phenomenon is a vital concept in the study of voting and democracy, showing that simple majority rule can sometimes lead to indecision or intransitive preferences among the voting options.
Understanding these principles is essential in the fields of political science, economics, and any discipline concerned with collective decision-making and the design of fair voting systems.