Consider a specific example of the special-interest effect and the collective-action problem. In 2009, it was estimated that the total value of all corn production subsidies in the United States was about $4 billion. The population of the United States was approximately 300 million people that year.

a. On average, how much did corn subsidies cost per person in the United States in 2009? (Hint: A billion is a 1 followed by nine zeros. A million is a 1 followed by six zeros.)

b. If each person in the United States is only willing to spend $0.50 to support efforts to overturn the corn subsidy, and if antisubsidy advocates can only raise funds from 10 percent of the population, how much money will they be able to raise for their lobbying efforts?

c. If the recipients of corn subsidies donate just one percent of the total amount that they receive in subsidies, how much could they raise to support lobbying efforts to continue the corn subsidy?

d. By how many dollars does the amount raised by the recipients of the corn subsidy exceed the amount raised by the opponents of the corn subsidy?

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

aSubsidies 3 billion dollars Number of individuals 300 million Therefor... View the full answer