On the possibility of ex-ante constrained maximization

Abstract

The problem of collective action has intuitive solutions that do not thoroughly capture the individual moral motivation of cooperating towards long-term collective goals. David Gauthier’s theory of constrained maximization presents a plausible moral account that can be incorporated into this debate. To bridge this gap, I propose ex ante constrained maximization as a rational strategy for acting first towards the production of public goods, where the necessary conditions are satisfied by the absence of a centralized resource allocation scheme. I further present ex post constrained maximization as a rational strategy and a normative contractarian obligation to sustain long-term and larger-scale cooperative outcomes.