Public Choice is a discipline right at the intersection of economics and political
science. In this course we use the basic postulates of rational, utility maximizing
behavior to analyze the process of political decision making in a democracy. The
course covers topics such as the behavior of voters and politicians in elections,
the analysis of legislative policymaking process, the role of the bureaucrats in
government, the role of interest groups and money in politics, etc. After having
developed a perspective on the way a government "actually" functions (rather
than the way it "ought to"¯function), we will go on to reevaluate the role of the
government in the lives of its citizens.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: problem sets, a midterm and a final
exam.
Prerequisites: Economics 251, or permission of instructor. Enrollment limit: 25
(expected: 25). Preference given to senior Economics majors, then junior
Economics majors.