Premium
Egoistic Rationality and Public Choice: A Critical Review of Theory and Evidence *
Author(s) -
QUIGGIN JOHN
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
economic record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.365
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1475-4932
pISSN - 0013-0249
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4932.1987.tb00633.x
Subject(s) - rationality , positive economics , ideology , economics , utility maximization , public choice , maximization , empirical evidence , politics , public good , public economics , microeconomics , neoclassical economics , mathematical economics , epistemology , political science , law , philosophy
Over the past 20 years there has been a rapid development of public‐choice theory: that is, the application of an assumption of egoistic utility maximization to political behaviour. In this paper it is argued that, in important areas, the available empirical evidence runs counter to this theory. The continuing work in this area therefore reflects ideological, rather than explanatory or predictive, concerns .