Thesis (MA--Art and Design) -- Auckland University of Technology, 2001. / Also held in print (iv, 82 leaves, col. ill., 30 cm.) in Wellesley Theses Collection. (T 760.0993 SIE)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Appendices in English and Chinese. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-118). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Appendices in English and Chinese. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-118). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / Typescript. Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 187-233).

O objetivo desta dissertação é investigar as contribuições à teoria de processo de mercado feitas pelos principais economistas da Escola Austríaca desde o seu ressurgimento na década de setenta do século XX. Inicialmente situam-se os problemas tratados pela teoria de processo, apresentando-se as contribuições anteriores realizadas por Hayek nas décadas de trinta e quarenta, em especial o que ficou conhecido como o "problema do conhecimento" deste autor. A partir disso, estudam-se as contribuições das duas figuras principais do ressurgimento da escola, Ludwig Lachmann e Israel Kirzner. A investigação privilegia o estudo das implicações do subjetivismo para a teoria do processo de mercado do primeiro e a teoria da atividade empresarial do segundo. Segue-se com o debate ocorrido na década de oitenta que confronta as idéias desses dois autores a respeito da existência de uma tendência ao equilíbrio de mercado. Conclui-se com alguns desenvolvimentos mais recentes da teoria. A obra dos autores, o debate entre eles e as contribuições posteriores são analisadas sob o ponto de vista da epistemologia evolucionária de Popper. / The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the contributions to the theory of market process made by the most important economists of the Austrian School since its revival in the seventies. We initially pose the problems the theory of market process deal with, showing the early contributions to that theory made by Hayek in the 30´s and 40´s, specially what was known latter as his "knowledge problem" After this, we study the contributions of the two leading figures of the revival, Ludwig Lachmann and Israel Kirzner. The investigation focus on the former’s study of the implications of subjectivism to market process theory and the latter's theory of entrepreneurship. After that, we deal with the debate that happened in the 80´s, confronting the views of the two authors concerning the existence of a tendency toward market equilibrium. We conclude with some more recent developments of the theory. The work of the authors, the debate among them and the latter contributions are discussed under the view of Popper's evolutionary epistemology.

The first essay of this dissertation analyzes the claim that a Marshallian total surplus optimum characterizes a second-best Pareto optimum in a general equilibrium model with price makers. The main result of this essay is that a Marshallian total surplus optimum corresponds to a second-best Pareto optimum when (i) the consumer's preferences are quasi-linear with respect to a numeraire, and (ii) for all other markets except the one under consideration, first-best (or Paretian) optimality conditions are satisfied. The second essay characterizes the optimal regulatory policy for point-source pollution emissions when firms are competing in Cournot fashion in the product market and have private information about their own cost. It is shown that the optimal regulatory policy benefits from the strategic interaction between the firms in the output market even though the firms' private information is uncorrelated. The firms strategic interaction in the output market acts as an information correlation externality that mitigates the wellknown "rent-extraction efficiency" trade-off. Each firms' opportunity to over-report their costs is reduced because the output market's strategic interaction reduces the profitability of infra-marginal units if they do. The main result shows that optimal environmental regulations discriminate between firms of given industry. Moreover, it is shown that if the regulator believes that firm A is always more likely to be efficient than firm B (in the sense of first-order stochastic dominance) and that both firms are equally efficient ex post, then firm A faces a higher marginal tax than its competitor. In light of this result, it is argued that the model provides theoretical foundations for grandfather clauses in environmental regulations. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

No description available.

This thesis aims to broaden the discussion about the origins of some of the fundamental theoretical sources for Hayek’s ideas regarding freedom and the state. It focuses on the debates between the Austrian School of Economics and the German Historical School of Economics, as well as the works of Popper, Mill, Humboldt and Hegel in order to identify their positive and negative influences on Hayek’s views of freedom and the state. The originality of the thesis relates to the examination of Humboldt’s political philosophy in terms of its influence over the formation of the components of Hayek’s account of freedom, such as spontaneous order, the rule of law, the role of the state, and the nature of human knowledge. These components have assisted in Hayek’s efforts to prove the superiority of open societies over totalitarian regimes. The thesis explains that Hayek’s intellectual collaboration with Popper played a significant role in identifying many enemies of open societies. Both theorists agreed that historicism was a method commonly used and promoted by the enemies of open society; specifically, they accused Hegel of promoting historicism and, as a result, of being an enemy of open societies. However, this thesis disputes these accusations and argues that Popper and Hayek did not possess adequate knowledge of Hegel’s theoretical work to make such claims. In actuality, Hegel was not an enemy of open societies, he recognized the potential devastating outcomes associated with them and sought solutions. The thesis also explores the idea that Mill was also worried about the detrimental features of industrial capitalism and, as a result, attributed a prominent role to “state activity” in securing the conditions of positive freedom. Hayek, meanwhile, viewed such forms of state interference as obstacles to attaining freedom. This thesis examines the topic whether or not Hayek actually sought to formulate a genuine form of freedom or if he merely valued freedom as a tool for the promotion of open societies over centrally planned economies.

The theme of academic anti-Semitism has been much discussed recently in histories of the interwar period of the University of Vienna, in particular its Faculty of Law and Policy Sciences. This paper complements these studies by focusing in this regard on the economics chairs at this faculty and, more generally, on the fate of the younger generation of the Austrian school of economics. After some introductory remarks the paper concentrates on three case studies: the neglect of Mises in all three appointments of economics chairs in the 1920s; the anti-Semitic overtones in the conflict between Hans Mayer and Othmar Spann, both professors for economics at the faculty; and on anti-Semitism as a determinant of success or failure in academia, and consequently of the emigration of Austrian economists. Finally, we have a short look at the development of economics at the University of Vienna during and after the Nazi regime. (author's abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

The Nationalökonomische Gesellschaft (Austrian Economic Association, NOeG) provides a prominent example of the Viennese economic circles that more than academic economics dominated scientific discourse in the interwar years. For the first time this paper gives a thorough account of its history, from its foundation 1918 until the demise of its long-time president, Hans Mayer, 1955, based on official documents and archival material. The topics treated include its predecessor and rival, the Gesellschaft österreichischer Volkswirte, the foundation 1918 soon to be followed by years of inactivity, the relaunch by Mayer and Mises, the survival under the NS-regime and the expulsion of its Jewish members, and the slow restoration after 1945. In particular, an attempt is made to provide a list of the papers presented to the NOeG, as complete as possible, for the period 1918-1938. (author's abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series