Abstract

In the context of economics, the distinction between ‘the public’ and ‘the private’ has been paralleled with the distinction of ‘public policy’ on the one hand and the ‘private market’ on the other hand. Even though both spheres intermingle at some point, the first is the domain of government, the second is the domain of market laws. This contribution argues that public goods do not only undermine that distinction, but they also support an alternative interpretation of the private-public line. A thorough discussion of public goods redefines the relationship of public and private and portrays public goods as bridges between both spheres.

The contribution starts with the classical definition of public goods as items that are non-excludable and non-rival with respect to potential profiteers. The paper then shifts the focus to the normative side of public goods. Precisely because of their characteristics as non-exclusive goods, these items are able to fulfil promises of the constitutional state. They enhance social inclusion, they serve the public by generating spaces of civilized interaction, and they even enhance the sense of shared citizenship. A focus on what has been termed ‘central public goods’ reveals that public goods serve important claims of social justice. After having explained why public goods should also be regarded as an important ingredient in the economic performance of the nation state, three bridging functions of public goods are apparent.

摘要

在经济学的语境中，“公共”和“私人”的区别与“公共政策”和“私人市场”的区别是平行的。尽管这两个领域在某些时候混合在一起，但第一个是政府领域，第二个是市场法律领域。这一贡献认为，公共产品不仅破坏了这种区分，而且还支持对公私界线的另一种解释。对公共产品的彻底讨论重新定义了公共与私人的关系，并将公共产品描绘成两个领域之间的桥梁。

贡献从公共物品的经典定义开始，即对于潜在的投机者而言，它们是非排他性和非竞争性的。然后，本文将焦点转移到公共产品的规范方面。正是由于它们作为非独家商品的特性，这些物品才能够履行宪政国家的承诺。它们增强了社会包容性，通过创造文明互动空间为公众服务，甚至增强了共享公民意识。对所谓的“核心公共产品”的关注表明，公共产品服务于社会正义的重要诉求。在解释了为什么公共物品也应被视为民族国家经济绩效的重要组成部分之后，公共物品的三个桥梁功能显而易见。