Abstract
The research focuses on evaluating "Cost-Benefit Analysis" (CBA) as a pivotal tool for rationalizing public policies, grounded in the fundamental trade-off between economic efficiency and distributive justice. It discusses the theoretical foundations of this analysis derived from welfare economics, ranging from "Pareto" principles to the "Kaldor-Hicks" criterion, and how it is used to compare government alternatives based on net social benefits. The research also sought to analyze the methodological and ethical challenges facing this method, particularly the commodification of human and environmental values, and the prioritization of efficiency over considerations of justice and social equity. Such an analytical policy has made this method a global normative tool despite the applied challenges it faces. Consequently, the research examines mechanisms to develop this model to be more responsive to justice requirements, such as "Distributionally Weighted Cost-Benefit Analysis" (DWCBA), and how developing countries can adapt this tool to their reality characterized by market distortions and weak data, and how decision-makers have managed to leverage this tool to enhance the rationality of public spending.
In conclusion, the research highlights that cost-benefit analysis is not merely a rigid calculation, but a value-based and political judgment requiring a balance between the welfare of current and future generations, integrating social dimensions to ensure the sustainability of public decisions. Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis, Public Policy, Economic Efficiency, Distributive Justice, Welfare Economics.
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