Embracing Morals in Economics: The Role of Internal Moral Constraints in a Market Economy
Embracing Morals in Economics: The Role of Internal Moral Constraints in a Market Economy
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在经济学中拥抱道德：内部道德约束在市场经济中的作用
DOI：
10.1016/j.jebo.2010.12.011
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发表时间：
2011
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
E. Stringham
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
E. Stringham
坚持经济人假设的经济学家通常专注于通过法律或法规来改变外部约束，以此作为消除不良行为的手段。达到最优解决方案只是让政府通过惩罚或罚款来调整不受欢迎的行为的价格。但亚当·斯密强调了另一种约束的重要性，即内在道德约束。近年来，行为经济学家、实验经济学家和其他经济学家已经证明，人们通常不会按照经济人模型的假设行事，而是似乎将道德约束纳入他们的决策过程。鉴于这一不断增长的研究，本文认为，许多经济学家过于强调外部约束，更应该强调内部道德约束。在讨论了内部道德约束的可能来源后，本文描述了这些约束如何有助于加强短期和长期的合作。
Economists who adhere to the assumptions of homo economicus typically focus on altering external constraints through laws or regulations as the means of eliminating bad behavior. Reaching the optimal solution is simply a matter of having government adjust the price of unwanted behavior through punishments or fines. But Adam Smith highlighted the importance of another type of constraint, the internal moral constraint. In recent years behavioral, experimental, and other economists have documented that people often do not act according the assumptions of the homo economicus model and instead appear to incorporate moral constraints into their decision making process. In light of this growing body of research, this article argues that many economists have placed too much emphasis on external constraints and that more emphasis should be placed on internal moral constraints. After discussing possible sources of internal moral constraints, the paper describes how these constraints can help strengthen cooperation in the short and long run.