# FILE NAME: 00000058.soc
# TITLE: Should the government be allowed to force landlords to lower rent? [300eed92665ef6a94ed5c2cdd97cac61]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 4
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - There is a crisis in the housing market, with rents skyrocketing and wages staying the same or falling. In the face of the pandemic, this has been exasperated. Landlords have a vested interest in maximising profits, and this means that they have an incentive to increase rent as much as possible. In the face of the pandemic, this has led to many landlords attempting to increase rent or evict tenants who are unable to pay. This has left tenants with nowhere to go and has exacerbated the housing crisis. Therefore, the government should step in and place a temporary ban on evictions and increase regulation of rent prices.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - The free market is the most efficient way to allocate resources, but when it comes to housing this is not always the case. There are certain cases where it is not allocated efficiently, and in these cases the government should step in. The government should ensure that housing is affordable to all, and this means that it should control rent prices in certain circumstances.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - In general, the free market is the most efficient way to ensure resources are allocated in the best way possible. However, there are certain goods and services that are not allocated efficiently in this way. Landlords have an incentive to charge as much as they can to maximise profits, and this means that housing will become increasingly unaffordable. The government needs to step in and control rent prices, at least for the time being.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - The free market is generally the best way to allocate resources, however, the government should intervene in the free market to control rent prices in situations where housing becomes unaffordable and landlords begin to increase rents significantly.
2: 1,3,2,4
1: 3,2,1,4
1: 1,2,3,4
1: 3,2,4,1