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The Comparative Study of Public Economies

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  • Elinor Ostrom

Abstract

Editor’s Introduction Originally published in Volume 42, Number 1, Spring 1998, pages 3-17 . Eleven years before she was recognized with the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Elinor Ostrom (1933-2012) published this paper in The American Economist. Originally trained in political science, Professor Ostrom’s life work centered on understanding how the collective action of groups organized and managed common pool resources. The various ways that human societies solve the “problem of the commons†was a central theme of much of Professor Ostrom’s research in public economics. In this paper, Professor Ostrom examines the study of institutions developed to provide for the collective consumption of public goods. She uses the example of providing policing functions within metropolitan areas. The questions raised about optimal size, scope, and institutional organization remain topical for the twenty-first century. To date, Professor Ostrom remains the only woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in economics.
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Suggested Citation

  • Elinor Ostrom, 1998. "The Comparative Study of Public Economies," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 42(1), pages 3-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:amerec:v:42:y:1998:i:1:p:3-17
    DOI: 10.1177/056943459804200101
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Oliver E. Williamson, 1967. "Hierarchical Control and Optimum Firm Size," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 75(2), pages 123-123.
    2. Charles M. Tiebout, 1956. "A Pure Theory of Local Expenditures," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(5), pages 416-416.
    3. Mark Sproule-Jones, 1978. "Coordination and the management of estuarine water quality," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 41-53, March.
    4. Ostrom, Vincent & Tiebout, Charles M. & Warren, Robert, 1961. "The Organization of Government in Metropolitan Areas: A Theoretical Inquiry," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(4), pages 831-842, December.
    5. Olson, Mancur, Jr, 1969. "The Principle of "Fiscal Equivalence": The Division of Responsibilities among Different Levels of Government," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 59(2), pages 479-487, May.
    6. Hanushek, Eric A, 1986. "The Economics of Schooling: Production and Efficiency in Public Schools," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 24(3), pages 1141-1177, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Galina Williams, 2017. "Enhancing The Value Of Health Care Services At A Regional Level," Review of Urban & Regional Development Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 46-62, March.

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