Pigou on Public Finance, in Relation to his Welfare Economics

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23730207
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Economic doctrine/Economic thought
• Research Institution: Kwansei Gakuin University (2012-2014); Hirosaki Gakuin University (2011)
• Principal Investigator: HONGO Ryo 関西学院大学, 経済学部, 教授 (80382589)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 厚生経済学 / 税 / 公債 / 国債 / ピグー / ケインズ革命 / 景気循環 / 公共事業

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I have investigated the theory and thought on public finance. More specifically, (1) on the development of them in relation to social changes in the first half of the 20th century, (2) on his theoretical analysis on taxes and public loans, and (3) on the relation of them to his economic thought as a whole. The results are as follows.
(1) Each edition of A Study in Public Finance (1st edn. 1928, 2nd edn. 1929, 3rd edn. 1947) reflects social change of the time. (2) His theory of public finance was further clarified by scrutinization of the book. (3) The Part III of the book ( 3rd edn. 1947) is, in a sense, the completion form of the Pigou’s employment theory.
In addition, Japanese translation of the book (3rd edn, 1947) is due to be published in 2017.

Free Research Field

経済学史