Ethics, Economics And Politics: Principles Of Public Policy

Description: This book studies the interfaces of ethics, economics, and politics. Public policy issues involve all three of these subjects. Although it may be seen as suggesting the nucleus of a joint university course, the book is accessible to and should interest all those concerned with political decisions. Any such decision needs a criterion for judging whether one action or outcome is better than another. Even a dictator must to some extent be concerned about the economic elfare of the citizens; and a democratic government more so. But how is a person's economic welfare to be judged? Furthermore, any political decision affects the economic welfare of different people differently. How then is the welfare of a community to be judged? This is an ethical question. Underlying any coherent public policy there must be a relevant moral code. Review: 'This book provides a valuable critical tour of modern ethics as applied to the scope and the roles of government in the economy.' Richard N. Cooper, Foreign Affairs Table of Contents: Part I Economics and Philosophy: Personal Utility and Welfare; Collective Utility and Welfare; Welfare Economics. Part II Politics and Philosophy: The Role of the State; Utilitarianism - Theory and Application; Utilitarianism - Justice and Equality; Contractarianism; Communitarianism. Part III Economics and Politics: Games, Conventions, and Public Goods; Positive Political Economy; Normative Political Economy. Part IV The Principles of Public Policy.