Public policies always raise ethical issues: there are always winners and losers, groups that benefit and groups that bear the costs. Policymakers have to measure burdens and benefits, find the right balance between freedom and regulation, and make trade-offs between conflicting social values. The aim of this course is to bring to light the value judgments underlying public policies and provide tools for their ethical evaluation. It looks at examples from such diverse fields as health care and public health, environmental regulation and climate change policy, the regulation of markets, and international trade and aid.

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