We argue that the policy response to the COVID‐19 pandemic by all levels of government around the world is not consistent with recommendations from standard welfare economics. Thus, it is important to ask why such policies have been adopted. That opens the door to examining the political economy of the COVID‐19 pandemic. This requires examining the incentives and information that confront policymakers and voters and the institutional environments that shape their incentives and information. This lead article frames questions addressed in the remainder of the symposium.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19 大流行的政治经济学

我们认为，全球各级政府对 COVID-19 大流行的政策反应与标准福利经济学的建议不一致。因此，重要的是要问为什么采取了这样的政策。这为研究 COVID-19 大流行的政治经济学打开了大门。这需要检查政策制定者和选民面临的激励和信息，以及形成他们激励和信息的制度环境。这篇主要文章框架了研讨会其余部分中解决的问题。