The ethics and the economics of minimalist government

Abstract

Part 1 A prior ethical commitment: the moral equivalence of persons the categorical imperative Hobbesian vs. Kantian contractarianism the original position and the veil of ignorace the moral equivalence of persons, again the political implications of the catgorical imperative overview and plan of the book. Part 2 Ends vs. means - consequentialism vs. contractarianism: consequentialism and the moral force of rights consequentialism and other dimensions of moral appraisal justice as mutual advantage justice as impartiality Sen's consequentialist-procedural approach social welfare theory as a time-slice principle of justice consequentialism and the categorical imperative contractarianism and the categorical imperative. Part 3 The consequentialist approach to government: utilitarianism as a standard for judging action utilitarianism, politics and the public good institutional and ontological problems. Part 4 Enter the economists: consequentialist social welfare theory efficiency and equity policy - the first and second fundamental welfare theorems what should the government do?. Part 5 The efficiency standard, corruption and the growth of government: efficiency-enhancing corruption market imperfections or getting the price right the second fundamental welfare theorem, the compensation principle and distribution issues. Part 6 The indeterminacy of social welfare theory: a reprise the frictionless neoclassical decision environment the implications for the efficiency frontier rights, zero transaction costs and the path to the efficiency frontier the indeterminacy of the social welfare function the implications for the consequentialist approach to government. Part 7 The contactarian approach to government: the prior moral commitment -a reprise the indeterminacy of ends procedural justice and the institutional imperative the generality principle. Part 8 The rules of the political game: economic vs. political efficiency the generality principle and the rule of law institutionalized impartiality. Part 9 Playing by the generality rule: some preliminaries generality and taxation generality and government outlays generality and government borrowing generality and redistribution generality and social insurance generality, market intervention and generalized externalities the legislative process and the morality of law. Part 10 Generality and minimalist government: majoritarian cycling, rent seeking and the growth of government the external and internal morality of government institutions the generality principle, the moral equivalence of persons, and the size and scope of government.