Public Economics and Public Choice
Pio Baake · Rainald Borck (Editors)
Public Economics and Public Choice Contributions in Honor of Charles B. Blankart
With 17 Figures and 13 Tables
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Pio Baake DIW Berlin Informationsgesellschaft und Wettbewerb Königin-Luise-Straße 5 14195 Berlin Germany
[email protected] Rainald Borck University of Munich Department of Economics Ludwigstr. 28 VGB III 80539 München Germany
[email protected]
Library of Congress Control Number: 2007927753
ISBN 978-3-540-72781-1 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Violations are liable to prosecution under the German Copyright Law. Springer is a part of Springer Science+Business Media springer.com © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007 The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Production: LE-TEX Jelonek, Schmidt & V¨ ockler GbR, Leipzig Cover-design: WMX Design GmbH, Heidelberg SPIN 12070114
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Preface This volume collects essays in honor of Charles Beat Blankart on the occasion of his 65th birthday. Blankart's research is mainly in the area of public finance and public choice. He is also known for his interest in real world problems and intellectual curiosity. These features seem to be well conveyed by the contributions. Born in Switzerland, Blankart completed his Ph.D. in Basel before moving to Germany. The typically Swiss perspective on individual freedom, however, has remained with him. Blankart has taught at the Free University of Berlin, the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich, Technical University and Humboldt University in Berlin. Throughout his professional positions, Blankart has contributed to various fields, including public finance, public choice, federalism and industrial organization and regulation. He has left significant marks in these fields, emphasizing throughout how incentives shape the behaviour of individuals, be it in markets or in government. For example, his best selling textbook Öffentliche Finanzen in der Demokratie, is unique in bringing a unified perspective to the study of public finance, treating politicians as ordinary self interested individuals and doing largely away with the benevolent welfare maximizing social planner. His interests have always been in the application of economic reasoning to real world problems, and this shows up in his many policy contributions, as well as in positions on diverse consulting bodies such as the council