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A representative individual from Arrovian aggregation of parametric individual utilities

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  • Herzberg, Frederik

Abstract

This article investigates the representative-agent hypothesis for a population which faces a collective choice from a given finite-dimensional space of alternatives. Each individual's preference ordering is assumed to admit a utility representation through an element of an exogenously given set of admissible utility functions. In addition, we assume that (i) the class of admissible utility functions allows for a smooth parametrization and only consists of strictly concave functions, (ii) the population is infinite, and (iii) the social welfare function satisfies Arrovian rationality axioms. We prove that there exists an admissible utility function r, called representative utility function, such that any alternative which maximizes r also maximizes the social welfare function. Given the structural similarities among the admissible utility functions (due to parametrization), we argue that the representative utility function can be interpreted as belonging to an - actual or invisible- individual. The existence proof for the representative utility function utilizes a special nonstandard model of the reals, viz. the ultrapower of the reals with respect to the ultrafilter of decisive coalitions; this construction explicitly determines the parameter vector of the representative utility function.

Suggested Citation

  • Herzberg, Frederik, 2010. "A representative individual from Arrovian aggregation of parametric individual utilities," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(6), pages 1115-1124, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:mateco:v:46:y:2010:i:6:p:1115-1124
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    Cited by:

    1. Bedrosian, Geghard & Herzberg, Frederik, 2016. "Microeconomic foundations of representative agent models by means of ultraproducts," Center for Mathematical Economics Working Papers 514, Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University.
    2. Frederik S. Herzberg, 2013. "The (im)possibility of collective risk measurement: Arrovian aggregation of variational preferences," Economic Theory Bulletin, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 1(1), pages 69-92, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Representative individual Arrovian social choice Ultrafilter Ultraproduct Nonstandard analysis;

    JEL classification:

    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations

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