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Economists and the analysis of government failure: fallacies in the Chicago and Virginia interpretations of Cambridge welfare economics

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  • Roger E. Backhouse
  • Steven G. Medema

Abstract

The theory of government failure was developed as a reaction against Pigovian welfare economics and the Cambridge approach to economic policy analysis generally, which ostensibly lacked a theory of governmental behaviour. We argue that the Cambridge tradition--as reflected in the writings of Henry Sidgwick, Alfred Marshall and A.C. Pigou--evidences a clear sense of the potential limitations and inefficiencies of the political process that were later developed, albeit in a more systematic fashion, in the government failure literature and at the same time bring out the ways in which the Cambridge and contemporary government failure approaches diverge, in spite of their strong similarities. Copyright The Authors 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Cambridge Political Economy Society. All rights reserved., Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Roger E. Backhouse & Steven G. Medema, 2012. "Economists and the analysis of government failure: fallacies in the Chicago and Virginia interpretations of Cambridge welfare economics," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 36(4), pages 981-994.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:cambje:v:36:y:2012:i:4:p:981-994
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cje/ber047
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    Cited by:

    1. Karl Beyer & Stephan Puehringer, 2019. "Divided we stand? Professional consensus and political conflict in academic economics," ICAE Working Papers 94, Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy.
    2. Neal Hockley, 2014. "Cost–Benefit Analysis: A Decision-Support Tool or a Venue for Contesting Ecosystem Knowledge?," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 32(2), pages 283-300, April.
    3. William Keech & Michael Munger, 2015. "The anatomy of government failure," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 1-42, July.
    4. Fabio Masini, 2013. "Facts, Theories, and Policies in the History of Economics. An Introductory Note," HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT AND POLICY, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(1), pages 5-16.
    5. Pim Derwort & Nicolas Jager & Jens Newig, 2019. "Towards productive functions? A systematic review of institutional failure, its causes and consequences," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 52(2), pages 281-298, June.

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