The definition and measurement of social welfare have been a vexed issue for the past century. This book makes constructive, easily applicable proposal suggests how to evaluate economic situation society in way that gives priority worse-off respects each individual's preferences over his or her own consumption, work, leisure so on. approach resonates with current concern go 'beyond GDP' progress. Compared technical studies economics, this emphasizes constructive results rather than paradoxes...

In a model where agents have unequal skills and heterogeneous preferences over consumption leisure, we look for the optimal tax on basis of efficiency fairness principles under incentive-compatibility constraints. The considered here are: (1) weak version Pigou—Dalton transfer principle; (2) condition precluding redistribution when all same skills. With such construct justify specific social derive simple criterion evaluation income schedules. Namely, lower greatest average rate range low...

The introduction of mandatory gender quotas in party lists is a reform that many countries have recently adopted or been considering. electoral system affects the incumbents' incentives to make such reforms, their details, and effectiveness. We show male incumbents can actually expect an increased incumbency advantage when are introduced, if they elected through single‐member district majority rule. On other hand, no expectation reduce fear being replaced closed‐list proportional...

The achievements and limitations of the classical theory optimal labor-income taxation based on social welfare functions are now well known. Even though utilitarianism still dominates public economics, recent interest has arisen for broadening normative approach making room fairness principles such as desert or responsibility. Fairness sometimes provide immediate recommendations about relative weights to assign various income ranges, but in general require a careful choice utility...

In this article, we review the desirability and feasibility of a universal basic income (UBI) scheme from theoretical point view. We first discuss possible justifications UBI, contrasting unconditionality UBI with many conditions that typically accompany other welfare policies. These range pure normative reasons to practical due problem screening beneficiaries imperfections in institutions charge implementing tax Next, explore determine size UBI. The broad picture emerges our is both...

This first book in English by Serge-Christophe Kolm provides an overview of his far-reaching vision distributive justice. derives justice from considerations rationality. Justice cannot be defined one all-encompassing principle or set a few principles. It has the general form equality individuals' liberties broad sense, with different applications and specific adjustments when several conflict everybody prefers another outcome. describes theory presents evaluates each various modern...

Abstract In a model where agents have unequal wages and heterogeneous preferences, we study the optimal redistribution via an income tax, when social objective is based on combination of efficiency fairness principles, incentive issues are taken into account. We show how some principles entail specific features for taxes, such as progressivity or tax exemption incomes below minimum wage.

We study fairness in economies with one private good and partially excludable nonrival good. A social ordering function determines for each profile of preferences an all conceivable allocations. propose the following Free Lunch Aversion condition: if contributions two agents consuming same quantity have opposite signs, reducing that gap improves welfare. This condition, combined more standard requirements Unanimous Indifference Responsiveness, delivers a form welfare egalitarianism which...

We propose a new class of multidimensional poverty indices. Aggregation the different dimensions relies on individual preferences. The Pareto principle is, therefore, satisfied among poor. indices add up measures that are computed as convex transform fraction line vector to which agent is indifferent. axiomatic characterization this retains usual axioms focus and subgroup consistency it introduces additional principles for interpersonal comparisons inequality aversion illustrate our approach...