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Pourquoi l'Europe redistribue-t-elle plus que les Etats-Unis ? Au delà du médian égoïste

Author

Listed:
  • Gilles Le Garrec

    (OFCE - Observatoire français des conjonctures économiques (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po)

Abstract

Dans l'approche standard en économie dite de "l'électeur médian égoïste", le niveau de redistribution dans une société démocratique est censé croître avec l'inégalité de la distribution du revenu. Or les nombreuses études empiriques menées sur la question invalident cette relation. Dans cet article, nous soutenons que l'échec de "l'électeur médian égoïste" est en premier lieu dû à l'hypothèse d'une nature humaine exclusivement égoïste. En nous inspirant tant d'Adam Smith que des sciences cognitives modernes, nous supposons que l'homme est caractérisé non seulement par un instinct égoïste mais aussi par un instinct moral. Nous caractérisons alors la démocratie par la recherche du consensus (ici autour de la redistribution) et non plus par la volonté d'une majorité imposée à une minorité comme dans l'approche standard. Dans cette recherche de consensus, le niveau de redistribution est alors la résultante d'une interaction complexe entre inégalité et inéquité dans la distribution du revenu. Nous soutenons également que les différences observées dans la redistribution du revenu aux Etats-Unis et en Europe sont dues à la nature différente de leur régime démocratique.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilles Le Garrec, 2007. "Pourquoi l'Europe redistribue-t-elle plus que les Etats-Unis ? Au delà du médian égoïste," Working Papers hal-00973048, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00973048
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://sciencespo.hal.science/hal-00973048
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers

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