Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Working Papers in Economics,
University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics

No 198: Cost Benefit Rules when Nature Counts

Olof Johansson-Stenman ()
Additional contact information
Olof Johansson-Stenman: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: Box 640, SE 405 30 GÖTEBORG

Abstract: This paper analyses normative implications of relaxing the conventional welfare economics assumptions anthropocentrism and welfarism, i.e. that only human well-being counts intrinsically, combined with various types of non-selfish individual preferences. Social decision rules are derived for the optimum provision of a public good (environmental quality). It is shown that in several cases analysed, the basic Samuelson rule still holds, in terms of aggregate marginal willingness to pay.

Keywords: Altruism; welfarism; anthropocentrism; cost-benefit analysis; public good provision; social preferences; conditional cooperation

JEL-codes: D60; D70; Q50

30 pages, First version: March 3, 2006. Revised: May 9, 2006.

Full text files 

2724 HTML file

Download statistics

Questions (including download problems) about the papers in this series should be directed to Jessica Oscarsson ()
Report other problems with accessing this service to Sune Karlsson ().

RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0198This page generated on 2024-10-31 13:22:58.