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Private and Public Preferences

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  • Kuran, Timur

Abstract

The theory of revealed preference, which lies at the core of the neoclassical economic method, asserts that people's preference orderings are revealed by their actions. This assertion has two possible meanings, of which one is a truism and the other false. When a person joins a riot against the government, he reveals through this action that he would rather riot than not. This is the sense in which the assertion is a truism. But if one means that the person must want a change of government, this is certainly false. His decision to riot could mean only that he considers it dangerous to stay on the sidelines.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuran, Timur, 1990. "Private and Public Preferences," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(1), pages 1-26, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:ecnphi:v:6:y:1990:i:01:p:1-26_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Johansson-Stenman, Olof & Martinsson, Peter, 2006. "Honestly, why are you driving a BMW?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 129-146, June.
    2. Harnay, Sophie & Marciano, Alain, 2003. "Judicial conformity versus dissidence: an economic analysis of judicial precedent," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 405-420, December.
    3. Cullis, John G. & Lewis, Alan, 1997. "Why people pay taxes: From a conventional economic model to a model of social convention," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 18(2-3), pages 305-321, April.
    4. Whitman, Douglas Glen, 2005. "The Role of Panels in Enhancing Legal Predictability," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 541-555, December.
    5. Wallis, Joe, 1999. "Understanding the role of leadership in economic policy reform," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 39-53, January.
    6. Klick, Jonathan & Parisi, Francesco, 2008. "Social networks, self-denial, and median preferences: Conformity as an evolutionary strategy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1319-1327, August.
    7. Bruno S Frey, 2023. "Camouflage: A dominant reaction to worsening conditions," Rationality and Society, , vol. 35(3), pages 366-384, August.
    8. Louis Jaeck, 2011. "Information and political failures: to what extent does rational ignorance explain irrational beliefs formation?," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 287-301, September.
    9. Louis Jaeck & Gilbert Bougi, 2010. "Dynamics of Environmental Regulation and Voters’ Biased Beliefs: A Political Economy Approach," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 38(4), pages 399-409, December.
    10. Khalil, Elias L., 1996. "Respect, admiration, aggrandizement: Adam Smith as economic psychologist," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 555-577, November.
    11. François Facchini & Louis Jaeck, 2021. "Populism and the rational choice model: The case of the French National Front," Rationality and Society, , vol. 33(2), pages 196-228, May.
    12. Dennis A. Kaufman, 1994. "Welfare and the Private Provision of Public Goods When Altruism Increases," Public Finance Review, , vol. 22(2), pages 239-257, April.
    13. Stephen Kinsella, 2009. "Preference Falsification in Teaching," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 6(3), pages 352-358, September.
    14. Freyens, Benoit Pierre & Gong, Xiaodong, 2015. "Dismissal Laws in Australia: Reforms and Enforcement by Labour Courts," IZA Discussion Papers 9295, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Wallis, Joe, 2002. "Drawing on revisionist economics to explain the inspirational dimension of leadership," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 59-74.
    16. Timur Kuran, 1993. "The Unthinkable and the Unthought," Rationality and Society, , vol. 5(4), pages 473-505, October.
    17. Andreas Wagener, 2012. "Why Do People (Not) Cough in Concerts? The Economics of Concert Etiquette," ACEI Working Paper Series AWP-05-2012, Association for Cultural Economics International, revised Dec 2012.
    18. Cosgel, Metin M. & Minkler, Lanse, 2004. "Rationality, integrity, and religious behavior," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 329-341, July.
    19. Rustam Romaniuc, 2012. "Judicial Dissent under Externalities and Incomplete Information," Czech Economic Review, Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies, vol. 6(3), pages 209-224, October.
    20. Joe Wallis & Syed Rizvi, 2023. "A New Institutional Economic Perspective on Alternative Governance Mechanisms at the Local Government Level," Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics, , vol. 35(1), pages 108-127, January.
    21. Freyens, Benoit Pierre & Gong, Xiaodong, 2017. "Judicial decision making under changing legal standards: The case of dismissal arbitration," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 108-126.
    22. Roland Kirstein & Stefan Voigt, 2006. "The Violent and the Weak," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(4), pages 863-889, October.
    23. Cullis, John & Jones, Philip & Savoia, Antonio, 2012. "Social norms and tax compliance: Framing the decision to pay tax," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 159-168.
    24. Scott Sigmund Gartner & Gary M. Segura, 1997. "Appearances Can Be Deceptive," Rationality and Society, , vol. 9(2), pages 131-161, May.

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