Free Riding and Collective Action: An Experiment in Public Microeconomics

The well-known free-rider hypothesis is examined experimentally to see (i) whether individuals behave systematically as free riders when systematic incentives to do so are created, and (ii) the extent to which free riding actually occurs. Though the experiment's participants behaved in accordance with the hypothesis, the quantitative extent to which such behavior occurred was rather modest. From this it may be concluded that the free-rider hypothesis as presently stated indicates an incompleteness in standard public microeconomics rather than providing a description of the real worl

The empirical relevance of comparative institutional analysis

SIGLEAvailable from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Opera festivals: a case for public funding?

SIGLEAvailable from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Zwischen Repression und Legalisierung: oekonomische Analyse der Drogenpolitik

Available from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel W 386 (9406) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Budgetäre Umverteilung in der Demokratie: Ein empirischer Test alternativer Hypothesen

This paper demonstrates how the distributional impact of the supply of public goods can be quantified. First, some hypotheses are developed based on the theory of voluntary redistribution as well as coerced redistribution (via majority rule). Then, a simple model of direct democracy (typical for Swiss communities) is discussed. By this approach, the distributional impact of public goods can be measured. Contrary to the prevailing opinions, the bulk of the redistribution does not flow from the rich to the poor but rather to the middle income class. Further empirical tests show a minor importance of altruism for explaining budgetary redistributio

Zur empirischen Relevanz vergleichender institutioneller Analyse: das Beispiel der Kommunalfinanzen

Available from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman