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Libertarian paternalism is not an oxymoron

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Author Info
Cass R. Sunstein
Richard H. Thaler

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Abstract

The idea of libertarian paternalism might seem to be an oxymoron, but it is both possible and legitimate for private and public institutions to affect behavior while also respecting freedom of choice. Often people's preferences are ill-formed, and their choices will inevitably be influenced by default rules, framing effects, and starting points. In these circumstances, a form of paternalism cannot be avoided. Equipped with an understanding of behavioral findings of bounded rationality and bounded self-control, libertarian paternalists should attempt to steer people's choices in welfare-promoting directions without eliminating freedom of choice. It is also possible to show how a libertarian paternalist might select among the possible options and to assess how much choice to offer. Examples are given from many areas, including savings behavior, labor law, and consumer protection.

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Article provided by Federal Reserve Bank of Boston in its journal Conference Series ; [Proceedings].

Volume (Year): (2003)
Issue (Month): Jun ()
Pages:
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Handle: RePEc:fip:fedbcp:y:2003:i:jun:n:48:x:6

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Related research
Keywords: Macroeconomics ; Economics ; Economic policy;

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  2. Hirshleifer, David & Teoh, Siew Hong, 2009. "The Psychological Attraction Approach to Accounting and Disclosure Policy," MPRA Paper 14046, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  3. Marta Coelho & David de Meza & Diane Reyniers, 2004. "Irrational Exuberance, Entrepreneurial Finance and Public Policy," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 391-417, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  4. Robert Sugden, 2008. "Why incoherent preferences do not justify paternalism," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 226-248, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Eldar Shafir, 2003. "Context, conflict, weights, and identities: some psychological aspects of decision making," Conference Series ; [Proceedings], Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, issue Jun. [Downloadable!]
  6. Ted O'Donoghue & Matthew Rabin, 2005. "Optimal Sin Taxes," Levine's Bibliography 784828000000000346, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  7. Christine Jolls & Cass R. Sunstein, 2005. "Debiasing through Law," NBER Working Papers 11738, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Rossella Incardona & Cristina Poncibò, 2007. "The average consumer, the unfair commercial practices directive, and the cognitive revolution," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 21-38, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Nathan Berg & Gerd Gigerenzer, 2007. "Psychology Implies Paternalism? Bounded Rationality may Reduce the Rationale to Regulate Risk-Taking," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 337-359, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Katherine Lyford Milkman & Dolly Chugh & Max H. Bazerman, 2008. "How Can Decision Making Be Improved?," Harvard Business School Working Papers 08-102, Harvard Business School, revised Jul 2008. [Downloadable!]
  11. Hirshleifer, David, 2007. "Psychological Bias as a Driver of Financial Regulation," MPRA Paper 5129, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
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  12. Marques Benton & Stephan Meier & Charles Sprenger, 2007. "Overborrowing and undersaving: lessons and policy implications from research in behavioral economics," Public and Community Affairs Discussion Papers 2007-4, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. [Downloadable!]
  13. Sang Bae & Attiat Ott, 2008. "The public economics of self control," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 356-367, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. Thomas Leonard, 2008. "Richard H. Thaler, Cass R. Sunstein, Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 356-360, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  15. Khalil, Elias, 2007. "The Mirror-Neuron Paradox: How Far is Sympathy from Compassion, Indulgence, and Adulation?," MPRA Paper 3509, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Jul 2007. [Downloadable!]
  16. David H. Krantz & Howard C. Kunreuther, 2007. "Goals and plans in decision making," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 2, pages 137-168, June. [Downloadable!]
  17. Chambers, Christopher P. & Hayashi, Takashi, 2008. "Choice and individual welfare," Working Papers 1286, California Institute of Technology, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences. [Downloadable!]
  18. Christophe Salvat, 2008. "Is Libertarian Paternalism an Oxymoron?," Working Papers hal-00336528_v1, HAL. [Downloadable!]
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