Economics 888: Readings.

Course Outline

Readings:

Alchian  "Evolution, Uncertainty, and Economic Theory''
Coase, "The Problem of Social Cost"

Alchian "Some Economics of Property Rights"
Allen, "Transaction Costs"
Barzel, "Measurement Costs"
Demsetz "Theory of Property Rights"
Cheung "Theory of Price Control"
North "Institutions"
McManus "Cost of Alternative Organizations"


Mackaay History of Law and Economics


Lueck et al "Property Law"
Merrill and Smith "Making Coasean Property More Coasean"
Bouckaert Original Assignment of Private Property
Lueck, "First Possession"
Merrill and Smith What Happened to Property in Law and Economics
Hermalin An Economic Analysis of Takings
Ostrom, Private and Common Property Rights
Libecap and Lueck "Demarcation"
Smith and Lee Coasean Property on the Shifting Sands of Transaction Costs
Smith Toward an economic theory ofproperty in information
Stake "Decomposition of Property"
Allen "The Rhino's Horn"

Gallini Patent Policy and Costly Imitation
Landes and Posner An Economics Analysis of Copyright Law
Scotchmer, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Menell Intellectual Property
Kitch "Patents"
Boldrin and Levine "Case Against Patents"
Aghion et al. "Innovation and Ownership"



Nunn "Effect of Slave Trade"
North and Weingast "Evolution of Institutions"
Geddes and Lueck "The Gains from Self Ownership and the Expansion of Women's Rights"
Casari, Emergence of Endogenous Legal Institutions.
McManus "Indian Behavior"
Banerjee and Iyer "Institutions in India"
Hornbeck "Barb Wire: Property Rights and Development"
Greif "Maghribi Traders"
Acemoglu, Johnson, Robinson "Institutions as Fundamental Causes of Growth"


Craswell, Contract Law: General Theories
Masten, Contractual Choice
Allen and Lueck Risk Preferences and the Economics of Contracts
Borenstein and Courant How to Carve a Medical Degree
Allen and Lueck "Contract Choice in Modern Agriculture"
Allen and Borchers "Conservation and Growth of Cash Renting"


Geddes The Rule of One-Third
Edlund "Role of Paternity"
Edlund "Marriage: Past, Present, Future?"
Edlund and Korn "Theory of Prostitution"
Allen Same Sex Marriage
Allen "What Does She See In Him"
Allen "Child Support Guidelines"
Wolfers Did Unilateral Divorce Laws Raise Divorce Rates
Cohen The Unnatural Family and Women's Work

Landes and Posner Joint and Multiple Tortfeasors
Hylton Optimal law Enforcement and Victim Precaution
Helland and Tabarrok "The Fugitive"
Brooks "Liability and Organizational Choice"

Dezhbakhsh and Shepherd The Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment
Friedman Private Creation and Enforcement of Law
Friedman Efficient Institutions for the Private Enforcement of Law
Kaplow and Shavell Why the Legal System is less Efficient than the Income Tax
Lott and Landes, "Muliple Victim Public Shootings, Bombings, and Right to Carry Concealsed Handgun Laws"
Palmer, "The Economics of Cruel and Unusual Punishment"
Kaplow and Shapiro "Antitrust"
Curry and Mongrain Morality Laws
Lott Should the wealthy be able to buy justice?

Maugham, "The Verger''
Jacobs, "The Monkey's Paw"
The Economist For Want of a Drink


Cases:

Sturges v. Bridgman
Spur Industries, Inc. v. Del E. Webb Development Co.
Pierson v. Post
Hammonds v. Central Kentucky Natural Gas Co.
Sherwood v. Walker
Hadley v. Baxendale