Hacker News Reader

Comment by fourier54 | Hacker News Reader

Interesting, would like to read more, can you provide references?

Public sector economics and health economics generally. The principles discussed are fundamental to both subdisciplines and should be covered in the introductory chapter(s) of a basic textbook on the subject.

I'd used a textbook by Joseph Stiglitz several decades ago whilst at uni, and there should be an updated version of it out.

I think this might be it or close: Economics of the Public Sector, Fourth Edition. By Joseph E Stiglitz (Author, Columbia University), Jay K Rosengard (Author, Harvard University).

<https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393925227>

The table of contents looks promising, particularly chapter 5.

Also at: <https://search.worldcat.org/title/39485400>

You might also find this in Handbook of public economics by Alan J. Auerbach, Martin S. Feldstein, Raj Chetty, and Emmanuel Saez.

<https://search.worldcat.org/title/13360368>

Any undergrad economics textbook will have chapters about market failure. Do you want something more specific?

We covered it a lot in international political economy (IPE) since market failure scenarios tend to be exactly when even (non-looney/non-bad-faith) capitalism fans want governments to get involved. Guessing textbooks and readers on that sub-field would also be helpful.

(This is also why other posters here observe that examples of sectors prone to market failure have high levels of government involvement)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com