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Equality and responsibility: ex ante and ex post redistribution mechanisms

Economic Theory volume 73, pages 947–975 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

We study redistribution in a setting where individual responsibility and circumstance characteristics determine pre-tax income. We distinguish between ex ante and ex post versions of the key principles of compensation and reward. Furthermore, we distinguish between absolute and relative versions of reward. On the basis of these axioms, we provide characterizations of five familiar and two new redistribution mechanisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microeconomics and Public Economics, Maastricht University, Tongersestraat 53, 6211 LM, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Kristof Bosmans

  2. Department of Economics, Tilburg University, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Z. Emel Öztürk

Authors
  1. Kristof Bosmans
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  2. Z. Emel Öztürk
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Correspondence to Z. Emel Öztürk.

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Bosmans, K., Öztürk, Z.E. Equality and responsibility: ex ante and ex post redistribution mechanisms. Econ Theory 73, 947–975 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00199-020-01334-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00199-020-01334-5

Keywords

  • Compensation
  • Reward
  • Ex ante
  • Ex post
  • Responsibility

JEL Classification

  • D63