Why the Traditional Distinction between Public and Private Goods Should be Abandoned

Abstract

In this paper we challenge the traditional distinction between public goods and private goods. Economists use a definition of public goods that rests on the inherent properties of the good itself. Referring to criteria such as non-rivalness and non-excludability, they assert that the distinction is fixed in nature and cannot be altered by human observes. We argue that the boundary between public and private goods is socially constructed. That is, what is a public good and what is a private good is not determined by fixed criteria; rather it is decided by society. Thus, what is a public good in one community might be a private good in another. It is this moveable boundary between public and private that makes it essential to analyźe public policy with values up front, not hidden behind the seemingly technical concept of public goods.

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