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A Pragmatist Approach to the Proper Scope of Government

Publication ,  Journal Article
Knight, J
Published in: Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft
2001

What is the proper scope of government? In this paper, I argue that efforts to define a clear and distinct boundary for the scope of government are misplaced. This argument takes two forms. First, and primarily, I set out a positive argument for a pragmatic approach. Given the complexity of modern life, a pragmatic approach to government will provide the most reasonable way of institutionalizing the differences between public and private activity. Second, I show that theoretical efforts to establish a clearly defined boundary cannot be reasonably sustained. They run into problems internal to their own justifications.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft

DOI

ISSN

0932-4569

Publication Date

2001

Volume

157

Issue

1

Start / End Page

28 / 48

Related Subject Headings

  • Economic Theory
  • 1401 Economic Theory
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Knight, J. (2001). A Pragmatist Approach to the Proper Scope of Government. Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift Für Die Gesamte Staatswissenschaft, 157(1), 28–48. https://doi.org/10.2307/40752246
Knight, J. “A Pragmatist Approach to the Proper Scope of Government.” Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift Für Die Gesamte Staatswissenschaft 157, no. 1 (2001): 28–48. https://doi.org/10.2307/40752246.
Knight J. A Pragmatist Approach to the Proper Scope of Government. Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft. 2001;157(1):28–48.
Knight, J. “A Pragmatist Approach to the Proper Scope of Government.” Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift Für Die Gesamte Staatswissenschaft, vol. 157, no. 1, 2001, pp. 28–48. Manual, doi:10.2307/40752246.
Knight J. A Pragmatist Approach to the Proper Scope of Government. Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft. 2001;157(1):28–48.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft

DOI

ISSN

0932-4569

Publication Date

2001

Volume

157

Issue

1

Start / End Page

28 / 48

Related Subject Headings

  • Economic Theory
  • 1401 Economic Theory