Optimality and Authority: A Critique of Neoclassical Theory

Gary Marks and Liesbet Hooghe

Journal of Common Market Studies, 2000, vol. 38, issue 5, 795-816

Abstract: The extent to which authority is centralized varies greatly across time and space, as the experience of Europe over the past half century illustrates. This article initiates a dialogue between two literatures: the neoclassical theory of authority and the analysis of multi‐level governance. Neoclassical theory examines the tension between the benefits of centralization and the costs of imposing uniformity across diverse territories. It implies that multi‐level governance is the optimal response to this trade‐off. This article critically examines the assumptions of neoclassical theory, and offers some building blocks for an alternative approach.

Date: 2000
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5965.00265

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:38:y:2000:i:5:p:795-816

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.blackwell ... bs.asp?ref=0021-9886

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Common Market Studies is currently edited by Jim Rollo and Daniel Wincott

More articles in Journal of Common Market Studies from Wiley Blackwell
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().