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Co-Production, Polycentricity, and Value Heterogeneity: The Ostroms’ Public Choice Institutionalism Revisited

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  • ALIGICA, PAUL DRAGOS
  • TARKO, VLAD

Abstract

Revisiting the theory of institutional hybridity and diversity developed by Vincent and Elinor Ostrom to cope with the challenge of the “neither states nor markets” institutional domain, this article reconstructs the Ostromian system along the “value heterogeneity–co-production–polycentricity” axis. It articulates the elements of a theory of value heterogeneity and of the fuzzy boundaries between private and public. It rebuilds the model of co-production, clarifying the ambiguity surrounding a key technical public choice theoretical assumption, and it demonstrates (a) why it should not be confused with the Alchian-Demsetz team production model and (b) how co-production engenders a type of market failure that has been neglected so far. In light of this analysis, the article reconsiders polycentricity, the capstone of the Ostromian system, explaining why polycentricity may be seen as a solution both to this co-production market failure problem and to the problems of social choice in conditions of deep heterogeneity. It also discusses further normative corollaries.

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  • Aligica, Paul Dragos & Tarko, Vlad, 2013. "Co-Production, Polycentricity, and Value Heterogeneity: The Ostroms’ Public Choice Institutionalism Revisited," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 107(4), pages 726-741, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:107:y:2013:i:04:p:726-741_00
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    7. Edward McPhail & Vlad Tarko, 2017. "The evolution of governance structures in a polycentric system," Chapters, in: Morris Altman (ed.), Handbook of Behavioural Economics and Smart Decision-Making, chapter 16, pages 290-314, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Skarbek, Emily C., 2016. "Aid, ethics, and the Samaritan's dilemma: strategic courage in constitutional entrepreneurship," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 371-393, June.
    9. Deslatte, Aaron & Scott, Tyler A. & Carter, David P., 2019. "Specialized governance and regional land-use outcomes: A spatial analysis of Florida community development districts," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 227-239.
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    11. Ryan Safner, 2021. "“Public Good” or “Good for the Public?” Political Entrepreneurship and the Public Funding of Scientific Research," Journal of Private Enterprise, The Association of Private Enterprise Education, vol. 36(Spring 20), pages 17-44.
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    13. Peter Boettke & Jayme Lemke & Liya Palagashvili, 2015. "Polycentricity, Self-governance, and the Art & Science of Association," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 28(3), pages 311-335, September.
    14. Ilia Murtazashvili & Ennio E. Piano, 2019. "Governance of shale gas development: Insights from the Bloomington school of institutional analysis," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 32(2), pages 159-179, June.
    15. Paul Dragos Aligica & Vlad Tarko, 2014. "Institutional Resilience and Economic Systems: Lessons from Elinor Ostrom’s Work," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 56(1), pages 52-76, March.
    16. Cristina Bicchieri, 2002. "Covenants without Swords," Rationality and Society, , vol. 14(2), pages 192-228, May.
    17. Faruk Ülgen, 2021. "Public good, collective action and financial regulation," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 92(1), pages 147-167, March.
    18. Dolejší, David, 2018. "Coproduction of property rights: The management of watercourses in pre-modern Bohemia," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 50-59.
    19. Lorenzini, Sara & von Jacobi, Nadia, 2024. "Whose forest? A two-level collective action perspective on struggles to reach polycentric governance," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).

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