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Musgrave, Samuelson, and the Crystallization of the Standard Rationale for Public Goods

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  • Maxime Desmarais-Tremblay

    (Centre Walras-Pareto - UNIL - Université de Lausanne = University of Lausanne, CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

This paper provides a narrative of the emergence of the standard textbook definition of public goods. It focuses on Richard A. Musgrave's contribution in defining public goods as nonrival and nonexcludable—from 1937 to 1973. Although Samuelson's mathematical definition is generally used in models of public goods, the qualitative understanding of the specificity of pure public goods owes a lot to Musgrave. I argue that the evolution of Musgrave's writings on public goods reflects his intention to justify his view of the role of the state in providing goods and services to citizens with an argument that would be convincing to the community of U.S. economists in the mid-twentieth century. Musgrave's definition highlights his lifelong concern for a comprehensive, realistic, and useful normative theory of the public sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Maxime Desmarais-Tremblay, 2017. "Musgrave, Samuelson, and the Crystallization of the Standard Rationale for Public Goods," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-01475760, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:hal-01475760
    DOI: 10.1215/00182702-3777158
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    Cited by:

    1. Beatrice Cherrier & Jean-Baptiste Fleury, 2017. "Economists’ interest in collective decision after World War II: a history," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 172(1), pages 23-44, July.
    2. Gerasimos T. Soldatos, 2020. "Merit goods and excise taxation in quasilinear markets for complementary private consumption," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 44(4), pages 551-566.
    3. June Sekera & Andreas Lichtenberger, 2020. "Assessing Carbon Capture: Public Policy, Science, and Societal Need," Biophysical Economics and Resource Quality, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 1-28, September.
    4. Luca Fiorito & Massimiliano Vatiero, 2018. "Positional goods and social welfare: a note on George Pendleton Watkins’ neglected contribution," The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(3), pages 460-472, May.

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