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Egalitarianism, Variable Population and Monotonic Critical Level

Author

Listed:
  • Ricardo Arlegi

    (Public University of Navarre)

  • Jorge Nieto

    (Public University of Navarre)

Abstract

This paper explores the introduction of a variable critical-level in a variable population context. We focus the attention on the Critical- Level Leximin criterion, a social evaluation procedure which compares two social states as follows: (i) It reproduces the Leximin criterion when applied to vectors of identical dimension and (ii) otherwise, it completes the smaller one with so many times a variable critical-level as to make the two vectors equal in size and applies the Leximin criterion again. We prove that the use of a strict monotonic critical-level leads to the intransitivity of the social evaluation criterion. This problem disappears when a weaker monotonicity condition is required.

Suggested Citation

  • Ricardo Arlegi & Jorge Nieto, 2012. "Egalitarianism, Variable Population and Monotonic Critical Level," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 32(4), pages 2734-2743.
  • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-12-00573
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Blackorby,Charles & Bossert,Walter & Donaldson,David J., 2005. "Population Issues in Social Choice Theory, Welfare Economics, and Ethics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521532587, September.
    2. Ng, Yew-Kwang, 1989. "What Should We Do About Future Generations?," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(2), pages 235-253, October.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Variable population; Leximin; monotonic critical-level;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D7 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making
    • D6 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics

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