西方社会福利函数理论述评

On Theory of Social Welfare Function in the West

西方社会福利函数理论的发展经历了四个时期:古典效用主义时期的社会福利函数把社会福利看作是所有社会成员的福利或效用的简单加总;转折时期,新福利经济学流行,其主要的社会福利函数是伯格森—萨缪尔森的社会福利函数;由于阿罗不可能性定理的提出,西方社会福利函数理论的研究进入了困惑时期;对阿罗社会福利函数的研究导致在现代出现了古典效用主义的复兴。

Development of the theory of social welfare function has experienced four stages. The classical utilitarianism looks at social welfare as simply the sum of welfare of all members of that society. During the transitional period when new welfare economics prevails the Bergson\|Samuelson social welfare function is the dominant theory. With the rise of Arrow's impossibility theorem research in social welfare function in the West enters a stage of perplexity. Research in Arrow's impossibility theorem then leads to a revival of the classical utilitarianism in modern times. It does not indicate a return to the classical utilitarianism, though.