“经济人”假设是普遍适用的吗?——公共选择理论中的“经济人”假设评析

Economic man assumption is universally applicable——comment and analysis on economic man assumption of public choice theory

"经济人"假设是当代西方经济学研究与发展的理论前提,是在自由的经济制度下,保证最大化实现个人利益的同时,并能够增进社会集体福利的抽象假说。公共选择理论把"经济人"范式引入了政治决策领域,拓宽了经济学研究的视野。但是这种方法论上的创新存在着许多不合理的地方。公共选择理论的"经济人"假设,已经将"经济人"道德层次的社会属性抽取掉了;在强调不同市场环境下决策者的品行不变性的时候,却忽视了决策环境和决策影响的变化;尽管注意到了外部性对集体选择行为过程的影响,但是客观上却又混淆了公共品和私人品的区别。这样公共选择理论就不可避免地在"经济人"假设的移植使用上走了片面化、表面化的形而上学的路子。

Economic man assumption is the theoretical precondition of contemporary western economics research and development, is the abstract hypothesis to enhance the social welfare at the same time ensure maximum personal interests under the liberal economic system. Public choice theory introduces economic man into political decision - making, and broadens the horizon of economic research. But there are many unreasonable elements in this innovation of methodology. The economic man assumption of public choice theory has taken off the social attribute that belong to economic man＇s moral level;when it emphasizes the invariance of the policy- makers＇ conduct in different market environment, ignores the changes of decision - making environment and impact; While takes notice of the impact of the external act on collective choice process, it confuses the distinction of public goods and private goods. Thus public choice theory takes a road of unilateral and apparent metaphysics in transplant use of economic man assumption inevitably.