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Remembering Vincent Ostrom: unhorsing a dominant paradigm

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  • David Lowery

Abstract

This essay is a memorial piece about Vincent Ostrom (September 25, 1919–June 29, 2012). I start by reviewing his academic history and then turn to Professor Ostrom’s major intellectual legacy—his effort to overturn the dominant paradigm in public administration and political science on metropolitan government reform. The three most important contributions of his work are discussed, including the introduction of public goods theory into the study of public administration and his work on quasimarkets and the Tiebout model. Three controversies or conundrums raised by his work are then discussed. Finally, the essay considers whether Professor Ostrom was ultimately successful in his effort to overthrow the traditional approach to the production and delivery of public goods at the city government level. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Suggested Citation

  • David Lowery, 2013. "Remembering Vincent Ostrom: unhorsing a dominant paradigm," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 154(3), pages 163-171, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:154:y:2013:i:3:p:163-171
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-012-0053-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ostrom, Vincent, 1975. "Public Choice Theory: A New Approach to Institutional Economics," 1975 Annual Meeting, August 10-13, Columbus, Ohio 284138, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    2. Ostrom, Vincent & Tiebout, Charles M. & Warren, Robert, 1961. "The Organization of Government in Metropolitan Areas: A Theoretical Inquiry," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(4), pages 831-842, December.
    3. Hill, Richard Child, 1974. "Separate and Unequal: Governmental Inequality in the Metropolis," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 68(4), pages 1557-1568, December.
    4. Charles M. Tiebout, 1956. "A Pure Theory of Local Expenditures," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64, pages 416-416.
    5. Golembiewski, Robert T., 1977. "A Critique of “Democratic Administration†and Its Supporting Ideation," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 71(4), pages 1488-1507, December.
    6. Furniss, Norman, 1978. "The Political Implications of the Public Choice - Property Rights School," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 72(2), pages 399-410, June.
    7. Vincent Ostrom, 1975. "Public Choice Theory: A New Approach to Institutional Economics," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 57(5), pages 844-850.
    8. Ostrom, Vincent, 1977. "Some Problems in Doing Political Theory: A Response to Golembiewski's “Critique†," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 71(4), pages 1508-1525, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Joshua C. Hall & Josh Matti & Yang Zhou, 2020. "The economic impact of city–county consolidations: a synthetic control approach," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 184(1), pages 43-77, July.

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