Qalys (quality‐adjusted life years) are used to make judgements about resource allocation in medical care and other matters. Since this may involve the qalys of prospective…
Abstract
Qalys (quality‐adjusted life years) are used to make judgements about resource allocation in medical care and other matters. Since this may involve the qalys of prospective individuals (who are not yet born but may be born under some relevant alternative and not in another), the use of qalys involves a fundamental philosophical problem related to optimal population, believed to be “insoluble”. This paper provides a solution to this problem that is based on the classical utilitarian position modified to account for the partiality of existing people towards their own welfare. However, a different difficulty with qalys is raised since the use of qalys may be Pareto inefficient in comparison to using willingness to pay. The objection to willingness to pay based on inequality is responded to.
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This article is occasioned by the emerging literature on economics and ethics, and seeks to illustrate from a children's story one question, the answer to which is fundamental in…
Abstract
This article is occasioned by the emerging literature on economics and ethics, and seeks to illustrate from a children's story one question, the answer to which is fundamental in resolving some issues in the literature. Central to our thesis are the twin concepts of altruism and fairness.
Yanyan Gao, Jianghuai Zheng and Maoliang Bu
– This paper aims to investigate the effect of rural-urban income gap on agricultural growth in China and its dynamics over time and across regions since reform and opening up.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the effect of rural-urban income gap on agricultural growth in China and its dynamics over time and across regions since reform and opening up.
Design/methodology/approach
Two types of indices are constructed to measure the rural-urban income gap: the intra-provincial index and the inter-provincial index. A provincial panel data from 1978 to 2010 and growth accounting method are used to estimate the size of the adverse effect of rural-urban income gap on agricultural growth in China.
Findings
The empirical results show that both indices of rural-urban income gaps are negatively associated with agriculture output, but the inter-provincial rural-urban income gap produces a larger adverse effect than the intra-provincial rural-urban income gap. Growth accounting analysis further shows that such adverse effects are decreasing over time and are larger in the central provinces. The results represent resource diversion effects of rural-urban income gap on agriculture.
Originality/value
This paper bridges the gap in existing literature on the relationship between sectoral income gaps and agricultural growth, which confirms Schultz's argument that agricultural activities are efficient even in developing countries and the rural resources diverted out by income gap are not surplus. The results imply that equalized rural-urban and regional policies are required to maintain sustainable agricultural growth in China.