Economics 238 - Public Choice

Institution:

Bard College

Subject:

Description:

Environmental Studies Economics is the science of human choice, and "public choice" is the study of decisions that aremade collectively-by clubs, organizations, alliances, and governments. Public choice theory attempts to model the interactions among alternative fiscal institutions, alternative political institutions, and the private and public behavior of persons and groups. Readings include The Calculus of Consent ( James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock, 1962) and selections from Buchanan's many later works, as well as theoretical and empirical papers by Kenneth Arrow, Duncan Black, Anthony Downs, Erik Lindahl, William Niskanen, Paul Samuelson, and Knut Wicksell. Topics include the economic theory of democracy; how collective choices emerge from the political process; the demand and supply of public goods; the economic theory of voting; and the theory of constitutions (voting rules). Applications to collective decisions at various scales are considered, with a special focus on problems of environmental protection and ecosystem management. Prerequisite: Economics 101.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.bard.edu

Phone Number:

(845) 758-6822

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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