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Three Criteria for Evaluating Social Programs

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  • García, Jorge Luis
  • Heckman, James Joseph

Abstract

This article examines the economic foundations of three criteria used for evaluating the costs and benefits of social programs. Some criteria do not consider the scale of programs or address the costs associated with programs that expand or contract the total government budget. A recent addition to the list of evaluation criteria – the marginal value of public funds – does not adopt a social optimality perspective. It evaluates the optimality of expenditures assuming a predetermined aggregate budget without considering the social costs of raising that budget.

Suggested Citation

  • García, Jorge Luis & Heckman, James Joseph, 2022. "Three Criteria for Evaluating Social Programs," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 281-286, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jbcoan:v:13:y:2022:i:3:p:281-286_2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jorge Luis Garcia & Frederik Bennhoff & Duncan Ermini Leaf & James J. Heckman, 2021. "The Dynastic Benefits of Early Childhood Education," Working Papers 2021-033, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    2. Martin S. Feldstein, 1964. "Net Social Benefit Calculation And The Public Investment Decision," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 16(1), pages 114-131.
    3. Martin Feldstein, 1999. "Tax Avoidance And The Deadweight Loss Of The Income Tax," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 81(4), pages 674-680, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Spencer Bastani, 2023. "The Marginal Cost of Public Funds: A Brief Guide," CESifo Working Paper Series 10322, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis

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