Which statement best captures the essence of the Coase Theorem?

• A. Under clearly defined property rights and zero transaction costs, bargaining among affected parties can lead to an efficient allocation of resources.
• B. Government regulation is always required to correct externalities.
• C. Private negotiation cannot overcome externalities when property rights are unclear.
• D. Prices alone determine the efficient use of resources without any negotiation.

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is that private bargaining can achieve an efficient outcome when property rights are clearly defined and transaction costs are negligible. The Coase Theorem shows that under those conditions, the affected parties can trade rights or payments to internalize the externality, leading to the efficient allocation regardless of who originally holds the rights. This is why the statement that best captures it is the one describing bargaining among parties under clearly defined property rights and zero transaction costs as yielding an efficient resource use. The other statements miss this point: regulation isn’t required in every case because private negotiations can work when costs are low; unclear property rights make bargaining unreliable for achieving efficiency; and relying on prices alone without negotiation doesn’t guarantee efficiency when externalities are present.