Original scientific paper
PUBLIC FINANCES AND THE THEORY OF PUBLIC CHOICE: KNUT WICKSELL’S CONTRIBUTION
Zdravko Petak
; Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The author demonstrates the importance of public finances as a source of the theory of public choice. He identifies the contributions of the continental theorists of public choice from late 19th and early 20th century, particularly that of the Swedish economist Knut Wicksell. The author considers his concept of the method of fair taxation the central source of the theory of public choice by James Buchanan and other representatives of the Virginian school. In the author’s opinion, Wicksell’s approach is basically normative but the author’s detailed analysis of Wicksell’s key work on the theory of fair taxation points to a series of salient points which are redolent of the positive theory of public choice as it was mapped out in the middle of the 20th century.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
33457
URI
Publication date:
3.6.1998.
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