- A-Z
- Jena Economic Resea...
- Volume 6
- Paternalism With Hi...
- Abgebildete Person
- Erschienen
- 10. September 2012
- Nummer des Discussion-Papers
-
2012-050
- Schlagwort(e)
-
Consequentialism
Experiment
Paternalism
Value of freedom
- Zusammenfsg.
-
We investigate experimentally whether the protégés’ reaction to paternalism depends on the consequences of the paternalistic action to their well-being. We find that protégé punish a paternalist restricting their freedom of choice. Yet, this negative reaction is not based on principled grounds because, with hindsight, protégés punish the paternalist only if the restriction makes them worse off. Conversely, if the restriction makes them better off, the protégé on average do not punish and, sometimes, they even reward the paternalist. This suggests that protégés take a consequentialist stand on paternalism. Controlling for intentions ascribed to the patron does not alter our finding.
- article pub. typess JER
- Research article
- article languages JER
- Englisch
- JEL-Classification for JER
- C92 - Laboratory, Group Behavior ; D6 - Welfare Economics; P16 - Political Economy