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Individual Rights, Emergent Social States, and Behavioral Feasibility

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  • JAMES M. BUCHANAN

    (George Mason University)

Abstract

Individuals retain control over at least some minimal dimensions of personal behavior. If this is acknowledged, social states are not, and cannot be, objects of choice. Social states emerge from the interdependent choices made by acting individuals and groups. Individuals may ordinally rank social states, but the objects for collective choice must be assignments of rights or rules. Failure to appreciate the distinction here leads to misguided efforts to attain positions that may be imagined but that are beyond the limits of behavioral feasibility .

Suggested Citation

  • James M. Buchanan, 1995. "Individual Rights, Emergent Social States, and Behavioral Feasibility," Rationality and Society, , vol. 7(2), pages 141-150, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ratsoc:v:7:y:1995:i:2:p:141-150
    DOI: 10.1177/1043463195007002002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Franke, Marcel, 2022. "Transfer in a conflict model as a reason for (unconditional) basic income," FRIBIS Discussion Paper Series 03-2022, University of Freiburg, Freiburg Institute for Basic Income Studies (FRIBIS).
    4. Martin Leschke, 2000. "Constitutional Choice and Prosperity: A Factor Analysis," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 265-279, September.

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