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Markets for public services: Less might be more

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  • Benito Arruñada

Abstract

This article suggests that the partial but strong incentives that characterized privately valuable public services in the classical 'liberal' state might be more effective than the comprehensive but weak incentives introduced by the 'internal markets' created when reforming the welfare state. The article compares three organizational forms: (1) the bureaucratic expense center used to provide privately valuable services such as healthcare through the organizations created by the welfare state; (2) the internal markets introduced to reform them; and (3) the hybrid solutions that have been used by the liberal state since the 19th century to provide such privately valuable services. This comparison suggests that market forces may play a better role in organizing public services when they are limited to a few variables, which makes stronger incentives possible and, at the same time, reduces the need for extensive planning and supervisory staff.

Suggested Citation

  • Benito Arruñada, 2025. "Markets for public services: Less might be more," Economics Working Papers 1899, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    • Handle: RePEc:upf:upfgen:1899
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Albert Breton, 1974. "The economic theory of representative government: A reply," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 129-133, December.
    2. Arruñada, Benito & Hansen, Stephen, 2015. "Organizing public good provision: Lessons from Managerial Accounting," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 185-191.
    3. Benito ArruÒada, 2003. "Property Enforcement as Organized Consent," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 401-444, October.
    4. Michael C. Jensen & William H. Heckling, 1995. "Specific And General Knowledge, And Organizational Structure," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 8(2), pages 4-18, June.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • K23 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Regulated Industries and Administrative Law

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