利益最大化选择的悖论——以长江三角洲机场建设之争为例

上海虹桥国际机场位置的东移,导致苏南IT产业运输成本大幅上升,引发了新一轮的机场建设大战。从区域经济规划角度看,在约束条件下区域运输成本的选择只能是区域整体成本的最小化,所以会引发机场建设之争;从理论上看,地方政府(官员)更多地是以政治效用最大化作为选择前提,因此政绩成为基本的选择指向。对于作为竞争主体的地方政府而言,其选择是经济人理性行为,但从区域效益看在更多地时候这种竞争只能是一种“无效竞争”。

A paradox of interest maximization: a case study of competition for airport construction in the Yangtze Delta

The Yangtze Delta is one of the fastest-growing economic zones in China,which provides the airport industry with a favorable environment.The repositioning of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport has resulted in increasing transportation costs of the IT industry in the south of Jiangsu and then triggered a new round of competition for airport construction.However,the optimal choice of regional transportation costs can be realized only when addressed from the perspective of the whole region.Based on the theory of public choice,this paper points out that the local officials' zest for building airport derives from the maximization of their political performance.As a result,though rational for the local officials' own sake,such a competition is inefficient as far as the interest of the whole region is concerned.