Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Social Choice Re-Examined pp 167–196Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Rational Just Social Choice

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: International Economic Association Series ((IEA))

Abstract

In this paper, I set out what I believe should be done in the domain of good social choice, or social ethics, and explain why. My proposal is in a sense the least original possible since its maxim is the central ethic of modernity and has been the basic principle of liberal-democratic societies for two centuries: ‘men are free and equal in rights’. Yet, first, this ethic and its specification and applications are derived by necessity from pure reason alone, and these derivations require a number of elaborate analyses. Second, this approach is on the contrary very original in the eyes of groups of scholars who see a very different conception as obvious and natural — such as utilitarianism or the aggregation of preference orderings. Third, even well-known theories that could be parts of the general view present serious shortcomings, such as justifications by an ‘original position’, ‘full process liberalism’ by-passing market failures, or omission of exchange capacities from ideally equalized productive capacities. Therefore, I can make my position understood only by beginning by explaining why I have to depart from all these well-worked-out views. And both this justification and the full understanding of the reason and of the contribution of these theories require placing them in the history of modern thought.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Arrow, K. J. (1951) Social Choice and Individual Values, 2nd edn 1963 (New York: Wiley).

    Google Scholar 

  • Arrow, K. J. (1977) ‘Extended Sympathy and the Possibility of Social Choice’, American Economic Review, vol. 67, no. 1, pp. 219–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergson, A. (1966) Essays in Normative Economics (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bentham, J. (1843) The Works of Jeremy Bentham, Bowring, J. (ed.) (Edinburgh: William Tait).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dworkin, R. (1981) ‘What is Equality? Part 1: Equality of Welfare’ and ‘Part 2: Equality of Resources’, Philosophy and Public Affairs, vol. 10, pp. 185–246 and pp. 283–345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foley, D. (1967) ‘Resource Allocation in the Public Sector’, Yale Economic Essays, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 45–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodin, R. (1986) ‘Laundering Preferences’, in Elster, J. and Hylland, A. (eds), Foundations of Social Choice Theory (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Halévy, E. (1901) La jeunesse de Bentham, in La formation du radicalisme philosophique, vol. 1 (Paris: Alcan).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P. J. (1976) ‘Equity, Arrow’s Conditions, and Rawls’ Difference Principle’, Econometrica, vol. 44, pp. 793–804.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harsanyi, J. C. (1953) ‘Cardinal Utility in Welfare Economics and in the Theory of Risk-taking’, Journal of Political Economy, vol. 61, pp. 434–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harsanyi, J. C. (1955) ‘Cardinal Welfare, Individualistic Ethic, and Interpersonal Comparison of Utility’, Journal of Political Economy, vol. 63, pp. 309–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, H. L. A. (1982) Essays on Bentham: Studies in Jurisprudence and Political Theory (Oxford: Clarendon Press).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1964) Les fondements de l’Economie Publique: Introduction à la théorie du rôle économique de l’Etat (Paris: IFP).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1968) ‘The Optimal Production of Social Justice’ in Guitton, H. and Margolis, J. (eds), Economie Publique (Paris: CNRS), pp. 109–77 and

    Google Scholar 

  • (1969) Public Economics (London: Macmillan), pp. 145–200.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1969) ‘Théorie démocratique de la justice sociale’, Revue d’Economie Politique, no. 1, pp. 138–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1971) Justice et Equité (Paris: CEPREMAP); reprinted 1972 (Paris: CNRS).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1973a) ‘Super-équité’, Kyklos, vol. 26, fasc. 4, pp. 841–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1973b) More Equal Distribution of Bundles of Commodities (Paris: CEPREMAP).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1974) ‘Sur les conséquences économiques des principes de justice et de justice pratique’, Revue d’Economie Politique, no. 1, pp. 80–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1976a) ‘Unequal Inequalities, I’, Journal of Economic Theory, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 416–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1976b) ‘Unequal Inequalities, II’, Journal of Economic Theory, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 82–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1977a) ‘Multidimensional Egalitarianism’, Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 91, pp. 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1977b) La Transition Socialiste (Paris: Editions du Cerf).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1977c) Les Elections sont-elles la Démocratic? (Paris: Editions du Cerf).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1980) ‘Choix social, choix collectif, optimum social’, Revue d’Economie Politique, no. 4, pp. 246–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1982) Le Bonheur-Liberté, augmented edition 1994 (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1984a) Le Libéralisme Moderne (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1984b) La Bonne Economie: La Réciprocité Générale (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1985a) Le Contrat Social Libéral: théorie et pratique du libéralisme (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1985b) ‘Libres, égaux et fraternels: la logique profonde de la morale républicaine’, Revue française de Science Politique, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 639–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1986) Philosophie de l’Economie (Paris: Editions du Seuil).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1987a) L’Homme Pluridimensionnel (Paris: Albin Michel).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1987b) ‘The Freedom and Consensus Normative Theory of the State: The Liberal Social Contract’, in Koslowski, P. (ed.), Individual Liberty and Democratic Decision-Making: The Ethics, Economics and Politics of Democracy (Tüubingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck)), pp. 97–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1987c) ‘Public Economics’, in Eatwell, J., Milligate, M. and Newman, P. (eds), New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics (London: Macmillan), pp. 1047–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1987d) ‘Adequation, Equity and Fundamental Dominance’, no. 59, CERAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1987e) ‘Libéralismes classiques et renouvelés’, in Ory, P. (ed.), Nouvelle histoire des idées politiques (Paris: Hachette), pp. 575–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1989a) ‘Free and Equal in Rights; The Philosophies of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen’, paper presented at the bicentennial conference, of the Canadian Political Science Association, Québec, and

    Google Scholar 

  • (1991) Journal of Regional Policy, no. 1, pp. 5–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1989b) ‘The Psychology of Happiness and of Liberty’, The Journal of Oriental studies, The Institute of Oriental Philosophy, Tokyo, vol. 2, pp. 11–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1990) The General Theory of Justice (Paris: CERAS).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1991a) ‘The Normative Economics of Unammity and Equality: Equity, Adequacy and Fundamental Dominance’, in Arrow, K. J. (ed.), Markets and Welfare (London: Macmillan), pp. 243–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1991b) ‘The Ethical Economics of Envy’, German Bernacer Lecture, University of Alicante, no. 90, CERAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1991c) ‘Super-Equity’, German Bernacer Lecture, University of Alicante, no. 98, CERAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1992a) Full Process Liberalism, IMF working paper, Division of Fiscal Affairs, IMF and (Paris: CGPC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1992b) What Sense Social Choice? (Paris: CGPC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1992c) The Impossibility of Utilitarianism (Paris: CGPC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1993a) ‘Free and Equal in Rights: The Philosophies of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen’, Journal of Political Philosophy, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 158–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1993b) ‘Distributive Justice’, in Goodin, R. and Pettit, P. (eds), A Companion to Political Philosophy (Oxford: Blackwell), pp. 438–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1993c) ‘The Impossibility of Utilitarianism’, in Koslowski, P. and Shionoya, Y. (eds), The Good and the Economical (Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag), pp. 30–66.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1993d) Efficient Economic Justice (Paris: CGPC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1993e) Equal Liberty (Paris: CGPC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1993f) The Economics of Envy (Paris: CGPC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1994a) ‘L’égalité de la liberté’, Recherches Economiques de Louvain, vol. 1, pp. 81–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1994b) ‘Rational Normative Economics against Social Choice and Social Welfare’, European Economic Review, vol. 38, pp. 721–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1994c) ‘The Meaning of Fundamental Preferences’, Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 11, pp. 193–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1994d) ‘The Theory of Reciprocity and of the Choice of Economic Systems’, Investigaciones Economicas, vol. XVIII, no. 1, pp. 67–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1994e) ‘Meanings and Rationalities in Social Choice’ in Andler, D., Banerjee, P., Chaudhury, M. and Guillaume, O. (eds), Rationality in Social Sciences (Delhi: Sage).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1994f) ‘The Logic of Justice’, in Eichhorn, W. (ed), Measurement in Welfare and Inequalities (Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag), pp. 970–92.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1995a) ‘The Economics of Social Sentiments: The Case of Envy’, The Japanese Economic Review, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 63–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1995b) ‘Economic Justice: The Central Problem’, European Economic Review, vol. 39, pp. 661–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1995c) ‘The Modern Theory of Justice’, L’Année Sociologique, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 297–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1995d) ‘Risk and Justice: Harsanyi’s Enigma’s and Social Policy’ (Paris: CGPC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1996a) ‘The Theory of Justice’, Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 13, pp. 1–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1996b) ‘Moral Public Choice’, Public Choice, vol. 87, pp. 117–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1996c) Modern Theories of Justice (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolm, S.-C. (1996d) ‘Playing Fair with Fairness’, forthcoming in Journal of Economic Surveys.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Breton, M. (1997) ‘Arrovian Social Choice on Economic Domains,’ in Arrow, K. J. et al. (eds), Social Choice Re-examined, Vol. 1 (London: Macmillan).

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, I. M. D. (1951) ‘Social Choice and Individual Values’, Journal of Political Economy, vol. 60, pp. 422–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mill, J. S. (1862) Utilitarianism, On Liberty, Essay on Bentham in Warnock, M. (ed.) (1962) (London: Fontana Library).

    Google Scholar 

  • Nozick, R. (1974) Anarchy, State and Utopia (New York: Basic Books).

    Google Scholar 

  • Pareto, V. (1913) ‘Il massimo di utilità per una collettività’, Giornale degli economisti, vol. 46, pp. 337–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rawls, J. (1971) A Theory of Justice (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rawls, J. (1993) Justice et Démocracie (Paris: Edition du Seuil).

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, K. (1980) ‘Possibility Theorems with Interpersonally Comparable Welfare Levels’, and ‘Interpersonal Comparability and Social Choice Theory’, Review of Economic Studies, vol. 47, pp. 409–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roemer, J. (1986) ‘Equality of Resources Implies Equality of Welfare’, Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 101, pp. 751–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rousseau, J.-J. (1762) Du Contrat Social, translated by Cole, G. D. H. (1913) (London: Dent).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidgwick, H. (1874) The Method of Ethics (London: Macmillan).

    Google Scholar 

  • Suppes, P. (1957) ‘Two Formal Models for Moral Principles’, technical report no. 15, Office of Naval Research Contract, Applied Mathematics and Statistics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinbergen, J. (1946) Redelijke Inkomensverdeling (Reasonable Income Distribution) (Haarlem: De Gulden Pers).

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinbergen, J. (1957) ‘Welfare Economics and Income Distribution’, American Economic Review, vol. 47, pp. 490–503.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tobin, J. (1970) ‘On Limiting the Domain of Inequality’, Journal of Law and Economics, vol. 13, pp. 363–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walras, L. (1898) Etudes d’Economie sociale, new edition 1936 (Lausanne: F. Rouge, and Paris: F. Pichon).

    Google Scholar 

  • Walzer, M. (1983) Spheres of Justice (Oxford: Blackwell).

    Google Scholar 

  • Weymark, J. (1993) ‘Harsanyi’s Social Aggregation Theorem and the Weak Pareto Principle’, Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 10, pp. 209–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weymark, J. (1996) ‘Discussion of Kolm’s paper,’ this volume, pp. 197–201.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, Paris, France

    Serge-Christophe Kolm

Authors
  1. Serge-Christophe Kolm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, Stanford University, California, USA

    Kenneth J. Arrow (Professor) (Professor)

  2. Department of Economics, Harvard University, Massachusetts, Cambridge, USA

    Amartya Sen (Professor) (Professor)

  3. Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, Japan

    Kotaro Suzumura (Professor) (Professor)

Copyright information

© 1996 International Economic Association

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kolm, SC. (1996). Rational Just Social Choice. In: Arrow, K.J., Sen, A., Suzumura, K. (eds) Social Choice Re-Examined. International Economic Association Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-25214-5_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation