Redistribution and the Efficiency/Justice Trade-Off

Hans-Georg Petersen ()

Athens University of Economics and Business from Athens University of Economics and Business, Department of International and European Economic Studies

Abstract: Social justice has become a main objective of economic policy and so often dominates efficiency considerations. In the history of economic thoughts the trade off between efficiency and justice has often been discussed but remained an unsolved problem. In using a simple approach of standard welfare economics the trade-off can be clarified and at least some theoretical arguments found that compulsory income redistribution is usually connected with disincentives and more or less serious efficiency losses.

Keywords: INCOME REDISTRIBUTION; SOCIAL JUSTICE; EFFICIENCY (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D63 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1998

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Working Paper: Redistribution and the Efficiency-Justice Trade-off (2004)
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