A Critique of Welfare Economics.

ISBN: 978-0-19-828119-1
Materia: Hacienda pública y sistemas fiscales
Autor: Little, I.
Editorial: Oxford University Press.
Edición: 2002
Páginas: 312
PVP: 49,95 €

Reseña:
First published in 1950, this text is concerned with the exposition, criticism, and appreciation of the theory of economic welfare as it had been developed to that date. It represents an attempt to clarify what was meant by "welfare"; to distinguish measurable, verifiable elements of the theory from subjective normative judgements about policies for improving economic well-being; and to establish criteria for determining whether one configuration of the economic system is better or worse than another. Little showed that the welfare theory of the time could be based directly on individual market choices, and that resort to traditional utilitarian concepts was not essential. The book is reissued at the same time as "Ethics, Economics, and Politics" - which explores the overlap between the three disciplines and, in part, displays Little's thinking on establishing rules for government efforts to improve economic welfare. He has added a retrospective preface to Critique in which he assesses the contribution the book made in the light of subsequent literature in the area.