Subsidiarität und Institutionenökonomik Zu einer sozialtheoretischen und –ethischen Präzisierung des Subsidiaritätsprinzips

Abstract

Which approaches of social theory contribute to a more precise application of the subsidiary principle? Besides various theories of sociology, understood as a priori holistic methods, the methodologically individualistic approach of institutional economics – also involving the standard of modern moral theology as found at Bruno Schüller – is applied. From the latter, it is evident, that the subsidiary principle generally explores, which societal unit is most efficient to solve a social problem. From the perspective of institutional economics, especially the conception of institutions as a productive reflex on prisoner dilemmas, the principle on the one hand is widened from societal units to all sorts of institutions, on the other as its criteria is formulated, an institution should be implemented, if its benefit – understood in a wide sense of enlarging the space of acting and liberty of the single man – exceeds its social costs. Thus the creation of new, problem solving institutions shows itself as ethically and economically advantageous.