117k views
5 votes
The fact that you may not know who is your congressional representative represents Question content area bottom Part 1

A. the rival nature of information.
B. inefficient oversupply of public servants.
C. rational ignorance on your part.
D. the use of the median voter theorem.

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

Not knowing who your congressional representative is can be attributed to rational ignorance, which is a decision to remain uninformed on political matters when the cost of information outweighs the perceived benefits, and it's understood that one vote is not likely to change an election's outcome.

Step-by-step explanation:

The fact that you may not know who your congressional representative is represents rational ignorance on your part. The term rational ignorance refers to the decision by individuals not to become informed about political matters because the cost, in terms of time and effort, doesn't justify the benefits, recognizing that one's individual vote is unlikely to be the decisive factor in an election.

This contrasts with the median voter theorem, which suggests that politicians craft policies to please the median voter's preferences, as well as with pork-barrel spending, which is targeted spending for the benefit of a single political district. The theory of rational ignorance is a part of the analysis of why voter turnout can be low in the United States, as individuals may feel that investing in political information is not worth the effort because their single vote will not sway the election outcome.

User Kent Pawar
by
8.0k points