Rationality and social choice
Article Abstract:
Man's use of reason has solved society's many problems such as poverty, deprivation in the presence of economic progress, famine and threats to the environment. Modern science and technology has given man opportunities to rationally allocate the use of resources. Theories on social choice and public choice are discussed. Arrow's impossibility theorem points out the difficulty in incorporating an individual's preference with the aggregate social welfare. Many lessons have been learned from social choice and public choice theories on the rationality of social decisions.
Publication Name: American Economic Review
Subject: Economics
ISSN: 0002-8282
Year: 1995
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Using district magnitude to regulate political party competition
Article Abstract:
Engineering the 'district magnitude' parameter can methodize many aspects of political competition including the provision of minority representation to groups with important shared interests, even if they form only a small portion of the national electorate. It promotes defractionalization, encouraging the formation of stable, major parties that can stand by themselves as majorities without having to turn to coalitions.
Publication Name: Journal of Economic Perspectives
Subject: Economics
ISSN: 0895-3309
Year: 1995
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