Skip to main content
Log in

Some measures of closeness to unanimity and their implications

  • Published:
Theory and Decision Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This note demonstrates how certain collective decision methods ensure the selection of alternatives which are the closest to win unanimously. By using four different functions for measuring the distance between preference profiles, we obtain the equivalence between the closeness to unanimity procedure (CUP) and the Borda method, the plurality rule, the probabilistic Borda rule and the L-procedure respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Jeffrey Sanford Russell, John Hawthorne & Lara Buchak

References

  1. Buchanan, J. M. and Tullock, G.: 1962, The Calculus of Consent, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Farkas, D. and Nitzan, S.: 1979, ‘The Borda Rule and Pareto Stability’, Econometrica 47, 1305–6.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hammond, P. J.: 1976, ‘Equity, Arrow's Conditions and Rawls' Difference Principle’, Econometrica 44, 793–804.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Intriligator, M. D.: 1973, ‘A Probabilistic Model of Social Choice’, Review of Economic Studies 40, 553–9.

    Google Scholar 

  5. May, K.: 1952, ‘A Set of Independent Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Simple Majority Decision’, Econometrica 20, 680–4.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Sen, A. K., 1977, ‘Social Choice Theory: A Re-Examination’, Econometrica 45, 53–89.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Wicksell, K.: 1958, Financtheoretische Untersuchungen und das Steuerwesen Schweden's, Jena, Germany, 1896. English translation: R. A. Musgrave and A. T. Peacock (eds.), Classics in the Theory of Public Finance, International Economic Association, Macmillan & Co. Ltd., London.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nitzan, S. Some measures of closeness to unanimity and their implications. Theor Decis 13, 129–138 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00134214

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00134214

Keywords

Navigation