Maurice Allais Early Life and Education Works FAQs

Maurice Allais, a prominent French economist, was awarded the 1988 Nobel Prize in economics for his pioneering research on market equilibrium and efficiency. His study of human risk behavior led to the development of the widely regarded "Allais paradox." Allais passed away on Oct. 9, 2010.

Key Takeaways:

– Maurice Allais, a French economist, won the Nobel Prize in economics in 1988.

– He taught at the University of Paris and the University of Virginia.

– Allais played a role in economic policy reform in post-WW II Europe.

Early Life and Education:

Maurice Allais was born on May 31, 1911, in Paris, France. He graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique in 1933 with a degree in economics. Allais worked as an engineer and manager at the Nantes Mines and Quarries Service in France until his retirement in 1980. He also taught economic analysis at the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris and served as a visiting professor at the University of Paris and the University of Virginia.

Economics:

Maurice Allais contributed to national economic policies through his research in market equilibrium, capital theory, monetary dynamics, and decision theory. Following World War II, he played an active role in economic reform policies during the formation of the European Economic Community in 1958. Allais emphasized the importance of income distribution factors and defined specific conditions for maximum economic efficiency. He also advocated for balancing social benefits and economic efficiency in the pricing plans of state-owned monopolies. Allais believed that economies should be organized on a decentralized basis for efficiency and optimal resource utilization.

The Allais Paradox:

In 1952, Maurice Allais challenged the assumptions of expected utility theory, which used quantitative means to predict human behavior and influence economic decisions. Allais presented the Allais paradox, demonstrating that individuals often give inconsistent answers when required to make immediate or quick decisions, thus weakening the predictive ability of expected utility theory.

Publications:

Maurice Allais published his findings strictly in French while most international economists used English. Paul Samuelson, an American economist, received a Nobel Prize for similar research, stating that economic theory would have taken a different course had Allais’ earlier works been known in English. In 1988, Allais received a Nobel Prize for his rigorous mathematical formulations of market equilibrium and the efficiency properties of markets. Allais’s books, such as "In Quest of an Economic Discipline" and "Economy and Interest," focused on market equilibrium, efficiency, and capital theory.

Applications of the Allais Paradox:

The Allais paradox is often applied to describe inconsistent human gambling behavior, as quick decision-making in this context frequently results in inconsistency. It challenges the ability to quantify human behavior in gambling or game-playing scenarios.

Influences on Maurice Allais:

Allais shared the philosophies of Alexis de Tocqueville, Leon Walras, Vilfredo Pareto, and John Maynard Keynes.

International Research Influence:

Maurice Allais was a member of prestigious academies and societies, including the Institut de France, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Lincean Academy in Italy, and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The Bottom Line:

Maurice Allais significantly contributed to post-WW II economic planning through his studies in market efficiency and equilibrium. His analysis of economic decision-making under conditions of risk and uncertainty led to the development of the Allais paradox.