The Theory of Apportionment

Balinski, M.L. & Young, H.P. (1980). The Theory of Apportionment. IIASA Working Paper. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: WP-80-131

Preview

Text WP-80-131.pdf Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

A key problem area at IIASA is the study of how goods and resources -- as well as "bads" such as costs, pollution, and risks -- can or should be shared among different nations, groups, or individuals. This raises the question of what is meant by a fair division -- and, if this question can be answered at all, how fair divisions can be achieved. One of the situations studied in the System and Decision Sciences Area was how to allocate or "apportion" discrete entities in proportion to predetermined claims, a problem which encompasses many situations including for example the apportionment of political representation among different regions and constituencies. The result of this study was the development of a general theory to deal with such problems, together with concrete criteria of fairness which will hopefully prove useful to analyzing larger classes of problems.

Actions (login required)

View Item