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J. M. Buchanan’s contractarian constitutionalism: political economy for democratic society

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  • Viktor J. Vanberg

    (Walter Eucken Institut)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to support three claims. Firstly, that it is Buchanan’s uncompromising commitment to a methodological and a normative individualism to which his lifework owes its coherence and internal consistency. Secondly, that a principal motivating force behind his life-long research efforts has been the aim of inquiring into how the citizen-members of a democratic polity may govern themselves in mutually beneficial ways. And, thirdly, that his contractarian constitutionalism provides a paradigmatic alternative to received outlooks of liberalism, welfare economics, and democratic theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Viktor J. Vanberg, 2020. "J. M. Buchanan’s contractarian constitutionalism: political economy for democratic society," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 183(3), pages 339-370, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:183:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11127-020-00795-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-020-00795-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Buchanan, James M., 1976. "Taxation in fiscal exchange," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1-2), pages 17-29.
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    4. Vanberg, Viktor J., 2005. "Market and state: the perspective of constitutional political economy," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 23-49, June.
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    11. Warren J. Samuels, 1976. "The Myths of Liberty and the Realities of the Corporate State: A Review Article," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(4), pages 923-942, December.
    12. Viktor J. Vanberg, 2007. "Democracy, Citizen Sovereignty and Constitutional Economics," Chapters, in: José Casas Pardo & Pedro Schwartz (ed.), Public Choice and the Challenges of Democracy, chapter 6, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. von Mises, Ludwig, 1985. "Liberalism in the Classical Tradition," History of Economic Thought Books, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, number mises1985.
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    15. Knut Wicksell, 1958. "A New Principle of Just Taxation," International Economic Association Series, in: Richard A. Musgrave & Alan T. Peacock (ed.), Classics in the Theory of Public Finance, pages 72-118, Palgrave Macmillan.
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel J. Smith, 2020. "James M. Buchanan centennial birthday academic conference: an introduction to the special issue," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 183(3), pages 223-226, June.
    2. Christoph March & Ina Schieferdecker, 2021. "Technological Sovereignty as Ability, Not Autarky," CESifo Working Paper Series 9139, CESifo.
    3. Viktor J. Vanberg, 2022. "The Economic Tradition and the Problem of Social Order: Hans Albert’s Critique of Welfare Economics and the Perspective of Constitutional Political Economy," Homo Oeconomicus: Journal of Behavioral and Institutional Economics, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 83-111, October.
    4. Alan Hamlin, 2023. "The rule of rules," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 195(3), pages 231-250, June.
    5. Mingyu Liu, 2024. "Structural and functional analysis of Buchanan’s constitutional contract," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Peter Zweifel, 2020. "The COVID‐19 crisis: A public choice view," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(3), pages 395-405, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Constitutionalism; Contractarianism; Democracy; Individualism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D86 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Economics of Contract Law
    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government

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