This paper investigates fair (i.e., envy-free and efficient) allocations in an overlapping generations economy without production with two-period lived agents. We show that there is a conflict between no-envy efficiency when all have identical preferences. crucially depends on the size of given young age consumption initial old generation relative to at golden-rule. then exist non-stationary pr...

This paper demonstrates that institutional factors influence the subjective well-being of individuals differently in rich versus poor countries. A lower level of corruption, a more democratic government and better civil rights increase the well-being of individuals in rich countries, whereas an increase in per capita income has no impact. On the contrary, in poor countries the extent of corrupt...

This paper considers a model of defensive medicine where doctors are imperfect agents of insured patients. A national insurer subsidises both curative and preventive medical care consumed by risk averse patients. We show that in such an environment, the optimal liability regime is similar to the no-fault systems of Sweden and New Zealand where the doctor faces zero liability. The reason is that...

This paper explores five topics where Georg Simmel’s Philosophy of Money poses challenges for contemporary monetary scholarship. First, any microfoundations for macroeconomics would be erected upon catallactical and not choice-theoretic foundations. Second, money is a tool of thought and not just a veil. Third, Simmel points to a way to make sense of a claim that goes back at least to Richard C...

For a large class of additive random utility discrete choice models with income effects, we compute the probability distribution of the compensating variation. We show that the cumulative distribution function only depends on the choice probabilities. Our results are used to compute the distribution of equivalent variation. The moments of the compensating variation are a onedimensional integral...

Aggregation without the Aggravation? Nonparametric Analysis of the Representative Consumer In the tradition of Afriat (1967), Diewert (1973) and Varian (1982), we provide a revealed preference characterisation of the representative consumer. Our results are simple and complement those of Gorman (1953, 1961), Samuelson (1956) and others. They can also be applied to data very readily and without ...

Social network formation models are often compared by their network structures, which satisfy specific equilibrium or welfare properties. Here, we concentrate on welfare criteria and define properties of utility function which are causal for certain network structures. We hope the identification of different properties of utility function will enhance the understanding of the relationship of di...

This paper examines how domestic, foreign, private and public investments affect incomeinequality through financial intermediary dynamics. With the exception of financial allocation efficiency, financial channels of depth and activity are good for the poor as they diminish estimated household income-inequality. Financial size does not have a significant incomeredistributive effect. Financial ef...

We propose a two-stage process called minority voting to allocate public projects in a polity. In the first period, a society decides by a simple majority decision whether to provide the public project. If the proposal in the first period is rejected, the process ends. Otherwise the process continues, but only the members of the minority keep agenda and voting rights for the second stage, in wh...

The paper discusses the sense in which the changes undergone by normative economics in the 20 century can be said to be progressive. A simple criterion is proposed to decide whether a sequence of normative theories is progressive. This criterion is put to use on the historical transition from the new welfare economics to social choice theory. The paper reconstructs this classic case, and eventu...