Work

Observable interpersonal utility comparisons

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Harsanyi’s seminal aggregation theorem axiomatized weighted utilitarianism based on expected utility theory. However, the weights assigned to each individual cannot be separated from the individual’s utility. We show that once we depart from the expected utility framework, it is possible to uniquely identify the utilities and the weights. Specifically, we show that in the min-of-means social welfare function if each individual has a cardinal utility, unique up to a positive affine transformation, and any redistribution of utilities changes the social welfare for some initial allocation, then we can uniquely identify the utilities of the individuals and the weights of the social welfare function.

Source: Social Choice and Welfare

DOI: 10.1007/s00355-025-01584-z

Author: Lasse Mononen

Institution: Bielefeld University

Language: English

Topic: Game Theory and Voting Systems

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,890

Funders: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Universität Bielefeld