The Economic Theory of Rights

Randall Holcombe

Chapter 2 in The Economic Foundations of Government, 1994, pp 11-31 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract A right is a claim by a specific individual, which is honored by other individuals, that some specific treatment is due him.1 How is an individual able to make such a claim, and why are others willing to honor it? The answers to both of these questions are the same. An individual will claim a right because he believes that having the right will make him better off. Likewise, others will honor the claim because they believe they are better off honoring the claim than not honoring it. The first step in developing a theory of rights is the recognition of the fact that people honor the rights of others because those honoring the rights believe it is in their self-interest to do so.

Keywords: Cooperative Behavior; Normative Theory; Social Welfare Function; Free Speech; Altruistic Behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1994
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DOI: 10.1007/978-1-349-13230-0_2

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