Beyond Bentham – Measuring Procedural Utility

Bruno Frey and Alois Stutzer

No 492, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: We propose that outcome utility and process utility can be distinguished and empirically measured. People gain procedural utility from participating in the political decision-making process itself, irrespective of the outcome. Nationals enjoy both outcome and process utility, while foreigners are excluded from political decision-making and therefore cannot enjoy the corresponding procedural utility. Utility is measured by individuals’ reported subjective well-being or happiness. We find that participation rights provide more procedural utility in terms of a feeling of self-determination and influence than actual participation.

Keywords: Procedural utility; subjective well-being; political participation; participation rights (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2001
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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