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Utilitarianism on infinite utility streams: summable differences and finite averages

Author

Listed:
  • Adam Jonsson

    (Luleå University of Technology)

  • Mark Voorneveld

    (Stockholm School of Economics)

Abstract

This paper provides axiomatic descriptions of social welfare relations, defined on infinite streams of utility, that are consistent with the utilitarian criterion on subsets where maximizing aggregate utility has a clear interpretation: the streams, or their differences, are summable. Besides standard assumptions on efficiency, equity and interpersonal comparability, two axioms are introduced and shown to be necessary and sufficient. A more general version of one axiom suffices to distinguish streams with different long-run averages.

Suggested Citation

  • Adam Jonsson & Mark Voorneveld, 2015. "Utilitarianism on infinite utility streams: summable differences and finite averages," Economic Theory Bulletin, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 3(1), pages 19-31, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:etbull:v:3:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1007_s40505-014-0056-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s40505-014-0056-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kaushik Basu & Tapan Mitra, 2003. "Aggregating Infinite Utility Streams with InterGenerational Equity: The Impossibility of Being Paretian," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(5), pages 1557-1563, September.
    2. Jonsson, Adam & Voorneveld, Mark, 2018. "The limit of discounted utilitarianism," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(1), January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pivato, Marcus & Fleurbaey, Marc, 2024. "Intergenerational equity and infinite-population ethics: A survey," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    2. Jonsson, Adam & Voorneveld, Mark, 2018. "The limit of discounted utilitarianism," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(1), January.
    3. Adam Jonsson, 2023. "An axiomatic approach to Markov decision processes," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 97(1), pages 117-133, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Intergenerational equity; Aggregating infinite utility streams; Ethical social welfare relations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General

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