The endowment and attachment effect are empirically well-documented in bilateral trade situations. Yet, the theoretical literature has so far failed to formally identify these effects. We fill this gap by introducing expectations-based loss aversion, which can explain both effects, into the...

This book argues that the implementation of compulsory, highly regulated, privately administered, defined contribution pensions facilitates rent-seeking behaviour on the part of the pension fund administrators and undermines the retirees’ income and well-being. While the book focuses primarily...

1. Some difficulties in the existing theory of externalities -- 2. Coase and all that -- 3. More on why government? -- 4. The poor -- 5. The legacy of Bismarck -- 6. Some biological problems -- 7. The rich -- 8. The survey of the existing system -- 9. Rent seeking -- 10. War -- 11. Monarchies...