经济学视域下的公共政策分析:批判与反思

当前主流经济理论对公共政策的分析主要是基于其广泛适用的规则和假设,在进行演绎式分析推理过程中,其所使用的抽象效率标准将公平分析几乎完全排除在外,从而使公共政策在很大程度上失去了其应有的价值判断。现实中,社会性个体基于契约理性追求角色意义上的目标及其协调,因此,公共政策首先应考虑的是目标定位与一致认可,这必然要兼顾公平与效率,并全面考虑人类行为的伦理、经济和法律方面,这是人作为一切社会关系的总和的必然产物和要求。政府公共政策及其引导下的集体行动是对个体角色目标的协调一致的表现和结果,因此公共政策只有能够满足诸多个体实现不同的个人目标,才有被认可并得到执行的可能。由此可见,公共政策首先应当有其价值判断,该价值判断建立在共识判断的基础之上。     

The Recent Critique of Theoretical Economics: A Methodologically Informed Investigation

My purpose is to appraise the recent critique of theoretical economics by applying the methodological perspective. Therefore, I start by identifying the main lines of criticism raised against theoretical economics in the aftermath of the post-2008 global economic crisis: namely, the voices criticizing economics for its unrealistic models, excessive mathematization, and overconfidence in its theoretical claims. First, I show that these issues are interconnected and should be jointly analyzed. Next, I investigate these lines of critique from the perspective provided by the latest achievements in the philosophy of economics (e.g., studies on the epistemic role of economic models). Taking this perspective reinforces some allegations against economics (e.g., these voices accusing economists of treating economic laws as universal laws of nature) and makes some criticisms more nuanced (e.g., the issue of unrealistic assumptions). I conclude by stating that such a methodological perspective is necessary in critically apprising the recent critique of economics.     

经济发展的新制度经济学:一个根本性的批判

本文将对关于制度与经济发展的新制度经济学文献提供一个根本性的批判.作者认为,既有的文献有四宗罪(四大缺陷),而其中每个缺陷都包含更具体的不足.这四大缺陷是:概念化和度量问题、理论严谨性不足、现代辉格式神话,以及对制度变迁与发展的非进化的理解.正是这四宗罪使得新制度经济学无法给出一个关于经济发展的制度基础的系统性阐述.这一根本性批评将为作者在别的地方系统性地阐述经济发展的制度基础奠定部分基础.     

Guidelines For Pre-College Economics Education: A Critique

While economists of all persuasions undoubtedly agree that universal economic literacy would be desirable, there appears to be substantial disagreement over what economic literacy is, what problems most need to be addressed, and how they can best be solved. These differences are clearly reflected in their diverse views as to what the goals should be for teaching economics in secondary schools. This paper specifically examines the recommendations offered in a paper on economic content standards by leaders of the economic education movement in the U.S. and finds them seriously wanting.     

新自由主义思潮的经济哲学批判

新自由主义经济学重要代表人物哈耶克与弗里德曼等人都以其经济学认识论与方法论而著称。在哈耶克的自发秩序原理和弗里德曼的货币主义理论中,个体人的自由行动构成为最基本的概念范畴,进而在自由竞争的市场体制下促成了资本主义的繁荣发展。随着二十世纪七十年代新自由主义的兴起及其全球化资本主义的盛行,其反思与批判成为了现代政治经济学的核心议题,并对马克思主义的时代发展具有重要比较意义。     

The Challenge of Radical Political Economics

The aim of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework for the study and integration of financial innovation in the institutional structures that support the operation of the monetary system. The background of the analysis comes from original institutional economics (Bush and Tool 2003 Bush, Paul Dale and Marc R. Tool. “Foundational Concepts for Institutionalist Policy Making.” In Institutional Analysis and Economic Policy, edited by Paul D. Bush and Marc R. Tool, pp. 1–46. Dordrecht, Germany: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003.[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]; Foster [1942] 1981 Foster, J. Fagg. “John Dewey and Economic Value.” Journal of Economic Issues 15, 4 ([1942] 1981): 871–879. [Google Scholar], [1949] 1981 Foster, J. Fagg. “The Relation Between Theory of Value and Economic Analysis.” Journal of Economic Issues 15, 4 ([1949] 1981): 899–905. [Google Scholar]; Veblen [1914] 1964 Veblen, Thorstein. The Instinct of Workmanship and the State of the Industrial Arts. New York, NY: Augustus M. Kelley, [1914] 1964. [Google Scholar], [1889] 1996 Veblen, Thorstein. The Theory of the Leisure Clash. London: Dover, [1889] 1996. [Google Scholar]), the state theory of money (Ingham 2004 Ingham, Geoffrey. The Nature of Money. London: Polity, 2004. [Google Scholar]; Papadopoulos 2009 Papadopoulos, Georgios. “Between Rules and Power: Money as an Institution Sanctioned by Political Authority.” Journal of Economic Issues 43, 4 (2009): 951–969.[Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]), and a specific account of social ontology based on constitutive and normative rules as well as the notion of collective intentionality (Searle 2005 Searle, John. “What Is an Institution?” Journal of Institutional Economics 1, 1 (2005):1–22.[Crossref] , [Google Scholar], 2010 Searle, John. Making the Social World. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2010. [Google Scholar]). The aim is a dynamic framework for the analysis of the institutional evolution of money, whereby institutional change comes from technology, and the state acts both as regulator of the institutional adjustment and guarantor of the stability and the efficiency of the monetary system. In that sense, the framework outlines the context and principles for the government regulation of financial innovation.     

The Austrian School of Economics: A view from London

The Review of Austrian Economics - This paper explores the intellectual context of the Department of Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) during the 1930s. We...     

The Economics of School Quality

Abstract. Recent national concerns about student performance on PISA tests and similar assessments appear warranted because of the direct relationship between student cognitive skills and both individual earnings and national growth. The evidence on the impacts of school quality indicates very large economic effects. Available research shows, however, that improving school quality is difficult and not closely related to spending levels. One approach supported by research is improving teacher quality, which can yield sizable gains in student performance. Instituting appropriate policies to alter the teacher force will necessarily take significant time.     

The First World/Third Party Criterion: A Feminist Critique of Production Boundaries in Economics

This paper examines definitions of production boundaries in economics, explores the limitations of these definitions with respect to the inclusion of unpaid domestic labor, and considers the significance of such an exploration for feminist economic analysis. Margaret Reid's ''third party criterion,'' a definition of economic activity advocated by many feminists and one used to set the production boundary for most household production models, sets an implicit market standard for defining nonmarket economic activity and therefore contributes to the marginalization of such production. Similarly, production boundaries considered appropriate in third world contexts, such as those defined in the recently revised System of National Accounts, also use implicit market standards for defining nonmarket economic activity. A ''first world'' criterion implicit in such production boundaries defines nonmarket activity as work only if it would have been dealt with on the market in the first world; this results in the inclusion of some of the unpaid domestic activity of rural women on grounds which reinforce the exclusion of work such as child care and the preparation of meals in theory and policy. Feminist economists should beware the danger of recreating implicit assumptions and definitions which result in the exclusion of unpaid domestic labor.     

产业结构调整的政治经济学诠释

本文主要在马克思主义政治经济学的框架下,对产业结构调整进行重新诠释,提出目前我国产业调整过程中出现的问题是由于相关参与主体在调整过程中角色＂易位＂或＂缺位＂造成的,明确指出企业是整个过程中的主体,而市场需求则是结构调整的源泉,产业结构调整是资本在各个部门间流动,追逐利润的结果。     

The Cambridge School of Keynesian Economics

There have been strong ties between the Cambridge Journal ofEconomics (CJE) and the Cambridge School of Keynesian Economics,from the very beginning. In this paper, the author investigatesthe environment that saw the birth of the CJE at Cambridge (UK),in 1977, and the relationship that linked it to the direct pupilsof Keynes. A critical question is explicitly examined: why didn'tthe ‘Keynesian revolution’ succeed in becoming apermanent winning paradigm? Some behavioural mistakes of themembers of the Keynesian School may explain this lack of success,but only to a certain extent. In any case, there were and therestill are remedies too. But what we are inheriting is a uniqueset of analytical building blocks (the paper lists eight ofthem) that makes this School of economics a viable (and in somedirections definitely superior) alternative to mainstream economics.Admittedly, there is some important work still to be done. Thepaper highlights the need for a two-stage approach, addressingpure theory and extensive institutional analysis. It is arguedthat a combination of the two would strengthen the coherenceof the theoretical foundations, and at the same time would providea fruitful extension of economic analysis to empirical, institutionaland economic dynamics investigations.     

Public Finance,Public Economics,and Public Choice: A Survey of Undergraduate Textbooks

The changing scope and approaches in the public finance courses as reflected in a spectrum of undergraduate texts are reviewed. The major texts are examined for content, difficulty, and ideology.     

Public-Private Partnerships A Public Economics Perspective

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are spreading all over theworld. It may be quite plausible that they were initially startedmainly as an attempt to evade expenditure controls and hidepublic budget deficits. But if they are properly designed andtransparently reported, PPPs can play a useful role in enhancingthe efficiency of the provision of services that were suppliedbefore solely by the public sector. This article provides apublic economics perspective on PPPs. (JEL codes: H54, L33)     

现代资产阶级经济学经济危机理论批判

凯恩斯的经济危机理论有其合理的成分,但其中的错误也是显而易见的。凯恩斯对萨伊定律的批判,只不过是在重复马克思对萨伊定律方法论的批判。如果我们暂时不去追究凯恩斯是否对马克思的抄袭,而单就否定萨伊定律这一角度来看,我们不能说马克思批判了萨伊定律,而凯恩斯就没有批判萨伊定律。但是,凯恩斯承袭了斯密教条,因而不可能科学地说明资本主义经济的总量关系。凯恩斯将一条曲线辩护性地描述为独立的总需求曲线和总供给曲线,并杜撰了三大心理规律用以说明资本主义有效需求不足以及由此造成失业和经济危机,所有这些都是不科学的。凯恩斯既没有找到资本主义经济危机的病因,也没有理性地开出救治资本主义的良方。     

非政府组织的经济效应:基于公共经济学视角的分析框架

目前非政府组织(NGO)研究主要集中在政治学、社会学、管理学等角度.事实上,NGO不仅具有明显的政治和社会功能,而且具有重要的经济影响.NGO实质上代表了自愿供给公共产品的资源配置方式,它与家庭(个人)、企业、政府、国外等具有密切的经济联系.总体上看,NGO的经济影响可以归结为对资源配置、收入分配、经济增长与稳定的影响.加强对NGO经济效应的研究,对于科学合理地制定有关公共政策,充分发挥NGO的经济社会功能,促进NGO的健康发展具有重要的理论与实践意义.     

论激进经济学的现实批判主义

1990年代以来,西方激进经济学家坚持现实批判主义,对资本主义制度体系进行了全面的批判.激进经济学对资本主义的批判,对我们认识当代资本主义有积极意义,对社会主义市场经济体制改革也有借鉴意义.