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Remembering Bill Niskanen: pursuing economics as a public science in the service of liberty

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  • Richard Wagner

Abstract

This short essay is a memorial piece about William A. Niskanen (13 March 1933–26 October 2011). The essay starts with his time at the University of Chicago in the mid-1950s, and gives most attention to his contributions to public choice. Especial attention is paid to his Bureaucracy and Representative Government, which opened vast territory for subsequent analytical exploration. A good deal of attention is also paid to his Autocratic, Democratic, and Optimal Government because this work both conveys his interest in comparative constitutional analysis and is useful for illustrating the strengths and weaknesses of his approach to this material. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Wagner, 2012. "Remembering Bill Niskanen: pursuing economics as a public science in the service of liberty," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 1-7, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:153:y:2012:i:1:p:1-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-012-9915-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Boettke, Peter, 2011. "Teaching economics, appreciating spontaneous order, and economics as a public science," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 80(2), pages 265-274.
    2. Niskanen, William A, 1975. "Bureaucrats and Politicians," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 18(3), pages 617-643, December.
    3. Vincent Ostrom, 1996. "Faustian bargains," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 7(4), pages 303-308, December.
    4. William F. Shughart II & Laura Razzolini (ed.), 2001. "The Elgar Companion to Public Choice," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 459.
    5. William A. Niskanen, 2003. "Autocratic, Democratic, and Optimal Government," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3126.
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