Social Choice Session 21

1
Social Choice Session 21

• Carmen Pasca and Mattia de Grassi

2
An Example of Social Choice

• Constitutions may seem similar still there are
  significant differences that affect the whole
  society.
• A very interesting example is the right to bear
  arms in the U.S. Constitution.
• The Second Amendment to the United States
  Constitution, adopted on December 15, 1791,
   protects the right of the people to keep and
  bear arms.
• This is considered a fundamental right for every
  citizen should be able to defend himself in his
  proprierty

3
An Example of Social Choice

• On the other hand, the Italian legislation does
  not allow people to buy, carry or use any firearm
  without a specific permisssion (Licenza di porto
  darmi)
• This licence is given to those citizens who have
  punctual and specific reasons to justify their
  need of a firegun.
• It is also necessary to have a licenze to
  practice hobby and sports involving guns such as
  hunting.
• Principles freedom and property against social
  stability
• What do you think?

4
The film

• Bowling for Columbine is a 2002 documentary
  film written, directed, produced, and narrated
  by Michael Moore.
• The film explores what Michael Moore suggests are
  the causes for the Columbine High School
  massacre and other acts of violence with guns.
• Do you think episodes such as the Columbine
  massacre have changed the overall preferences of
  U.S. society?
• How are the preferences of U.S. citizens shaped?
• And the preferences of this class?

5
The film

• Personal experience
• The Columbine High School massacre occurred on
  Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High
  School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of
  Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near
  Denver and Littleton.
• Mattia arrives in Littleton, CO to spend his
  senior year of High School in July, 2000, one
  year later.
• Where is Mattia?

6
The film

• Mattia was sent to another High School because of
  Columbine massacre, JFK High School. (where he
  was a soccer star!)
• Mattia asked all of his classmates and professors
  about the Columbine massacre.
• Results of the polls
• People who thought it was really bad to kill
  people in a school 100
• People who would actually give up their right to
  bear arms and defend their property 1
  (including me)

7
The film

• Enjoy the movie