The Main Theories of the Provision of Public Goods: History and Modernity

The article discusses the history and modern theories of public goods provision, which are a key aspect of the socio-economic system of states. Public goods, such as defense, free education, street lighting, and others, are distinguished by the fact that their consumption is available to all members of society at the same time and they do not compete with each other. It is determined that in the 19th century, with the emergence of new economic and social theories, new approaches to the provision of public goods emerged. Researchers such as Schaeffe and Pigou made a significant contribution to understanding the role of the state in this process by considering public goods in the context of the public and private sectors of the economy. It is noted that in the second half of the 19th century, as well as in the 20th century, new theories emerged that became important for understanding the production and distribution of public goods. The key attention is focused on the study of the history and modernity of theories of public goods provision, as well as their application in modern conditions. In general, the article highlights the significance of the historical development of the theory of public goods and its impact on modern economic and political practice, emphasizing the need for continuous development and adaptation of this theory to the changing conditions of society. A comparative analysis of the scientific literature of different conceptual views and approaches to the problem of public goods provision and their distribution is presented.