Three approaches to the theory of public goods

The paper focuses on a comparison of three different approaches that seek t o explain the existence of public goods. First the mainstream Samuelson-Mus grave approach, based on the search for an objective nature of so-called pu re public goods, is critically evaluated, especially with respect. to the m ethodology it is built upon. Cease's approach, arising from his crucial con cept of transaction costs, is then revealed as being consistent with the ma instream Samuelson-Musgrave approach, even though it is not primarily invol ved with the search for an objective nature of public goods; it rather emph asises the spontaneous occurrence of public goods due to high transaction c osts for their provisioning through market forces. Buchanan-Niskanan's publ ic goods concept is lastly described. According to this approach, the exist ence of public goods can be explained simply as a particular result of a pu rely subjective majority voting process. That is why efforts to seek out "s cientific" economic criteria which distinguish private from public goods ar e not only useless, they are completely misleading.