The Majority Rule with Arbitrators

摘要

The majority rule with arbitrators is the (relative) majority rule supplemented by the indifference-breaking rule according to which, in case of social indifference under the majority rule, the social preference coincides with the preference of the non-indifferent individual ranked higher in an exogenous ranking of the individuals. For the case of preferences over two alternatives, a characterization of this rule is suggested that relies on axioms of efficiency, inter-anonymity, intra-anonymity, parity, and reducibility. It is also provided a characterization of the set of rules consisting of the majority rule and the majority rule with arbitrators.