In designing public policy it is not enough to consider the possible reaction of individuals to the chosen policy. Public policy may also affect the formation of preferences and norms in a society. The endogenous evolution of preferences, in addition to introducing a conceptual difficulty in evaluating policies, may also eventually affect actual behavior. In order to demonstrate the implications of endogenous preferences on the design of optimal public policy, we present a model in which a subsidy policy is set to encourage contributions towards a public good. However this policy triggers an endogenous preference change that results in a lower level of contribution towards the public good despite the explicit monetary incentives to raise that level.
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Paper provided by Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research in its series Discussion Paper with number
71.
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Aviad Heifetz & Chris Shannon & Yossi Spiegel, 2004.
"What to Maximize if You Must,"
Discussion Papers
1414, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
[Downloadable!]
Other versions:
HEIFETZ, Aviad & SHANNON, Chris & SPIEGEL, Yossi, 2003.
"What to maximize if you must,"
CORE Discussion Papers
2003047, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
[Downloadable!]
Aviad Heifetz & Chris Shannon & Yossi Spiegel, 2005.
"The Dynamic Evolution of Preferences,"
Discussion Papers
1415, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
[Downloadable!]