The Economic Foundations of Government

by Randall G. Holcombe

This welcome work argues that government is the result of a contract arrived at by individuals with varying bargaining power. Holcombe explores such issues as why the political system protects individual's rights, why individuals agree to political institutions that give their governments extensive power, and why even the most powerful government benefits from constitutional rules which constrain its power. He arrives at a theory of rights, constitutions, and government that does not rely, as economists have traditionally done, on value judgments. Very much at the cutting edge of economic thinking, this book will interest undergraduates and professionals in the fields of economics, political science, and government.

273 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1993

Reviews

[Cortney R · Rating 4 out of 5]

An economists point of view on the origins of government as an exchange between those with relatively more "power" and those who have an advantage in production.