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Harsanyi’s Social Aggregation Theorem : A Multi-Profile Approach with Variable-Population Extensions

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Author Info
BLACKORBY, Charles
BOSSERT, Walter
DONALDSON, David

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Abstract

This paper provides new versions of Harsanyi’s social aggregation theorem that are formulated in terms of prospects rather than lotteries. Strengthening an earlier result, fixed-population ex-ante utilitarianism is characterized in a multi-profile setting with fixed probabilities. In addition, we extend the social aggregation theorem to social-evaluation problems under uncertainty with a variable population and generalize our approach to uncertain alternatives, which consist of compound vectors of probability distributions and prospects.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en économie quantitative, CIREQ in its series Cahiers de recherche with number 03-2003.

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Length: 33 pages
Date of creation: 2003
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Handle: RePEc:mtl:montec:03-2003

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Related research
Keywords: Harsanyi’s social aggregation theorem; multi-profile social choice; population ethics;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations
D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Blackorby, C. & Bossert, W. & Donaldson, D., 1999. "Utilitarianism and the Theory of Justice," UBC Departmental Archives 99-20, UBC Department of Economics.
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  2. Hammond, Peter J, 1981. "Ex-ante and Ex-post Welfare Optimality under Uncertainty," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 48(191), pages 235-50, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Weymark, J.A., 1990. "A Reconsideration Of The Harsanyi-Sen Debate On Utilitarianism," UBC Departmental Archives 90-03, UBC Department of Economics.
  4. Blackorby, Charles & Bossert, Walter & Donaldson, David, 1999. "Information Invariance in Variable-Population Social-Choice Problems," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 40(2), pages 403-22, May.
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  5. Blackorby, Charles & Bossert, Walter & Donaldson, David, 1995. "Intertemporal Population Ethics: Critical-Level Utilitarian Principles," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich.
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  6. Broome, John, 1990. "Bolker-Jeffrey Expected Utility Theory and Axiomatic Utilitarianism," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 57(3), pages 477-502, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Weymark, J.A., 1990. "Harsanyi'S Social-Aggregation Theorem With Alternative Pareto Principles," UBC Departmental Archives 90-28, UBC Department of Economics.
  8. Mongin, Philippe, 1998. "The paradox of the Bayesian experts and state-dependent utility theory," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 331-361, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  9. Walter Bossert & David Donaldson & Charles Blackorby, 1998. "Uncertainty and critical-level population principles," Journal of Population Economics, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Mongin Philippe, 1995. "Consistent Bayesian Aggregation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 313-351, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. Blackorby, Charles & Bossert, Walter & Donaldson, David, 2002. " Population Principles with Number-Dependent Critical Levels," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 4(3), pages 347-68. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  12. Weymark, J.A., 1993. "Further Remarks on Harsanyi's Social Aggregation Theorem and the Weak Pareto Principle," UBC Departmental Archives 93-39, UBC Department of Economics.
  13. Charles Blackorby & David Donaldson, & John A. Weymark, 1997. "Social Aggregation and the Expected Utility Hypothesis," Old UBC Departmental Papers 9705, UBC Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  14. Charles Blackorby & David Donaldson & John A. Weymark, 1996. "Harsanyi's Social Aggregation Theorem for State-Contingent Alternatives," Old UBC Departmental Papers 9626, UBC Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  15. Mongin, P & d'Aspremont, C, 1996. "Utility Theory and Ethics," Papers 9632, Paris X - Nanterre, U.F.R. de Sc. Ec. Gest. Maths Infor..
    Other versions:
  16. John C. Harsanyi, 1955. "Cardinal Welfare, Individualistic Ethics, and Interpersonal Comparisons of Utility," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 63, pages 309. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  17. Blackorby, Charles & Donaldson, David, 1984. "Social criteria for evaluating population change," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(1-2), pages 13-33, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  18. Mongin, Ph., 1991. "Harsanyi's aggregation theorem: multi-profile version and unsettled questions," CORE Discussion Papers 1991036, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
  19. Walter Bossert & John A. Weymark, . "Utility in Social Choice," Old UBC Departmental Papers 9623, UBC Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  20. Blackorby, Charles & Donaldson, David & Weymark, John A, 1984. "Social Choice with Interpersonal Utility Comparisons: A Diagrammatic Introduction," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 25(2), pages 327-56, June.
  21. De Meyer, Bernard & Mongin, Philippe, 1995. "A note on affine aggregation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 177-183, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  22. Roberts, Kevin W S, 1980. "Interpersonal Comparability and Social Choice Theory," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(2), pages 421-39, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Charles Blackorby & Walter Bossert & David Donaldson, 2007. "Variable-population extensions of social aggregation theorems," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 567-589, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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