Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 August 2016
When one writes a paper, one hopes for a large hearing. I have reduced my illusions, as to my audience, to those few who have read either Houthakker and Taylor [(1970, chap. V)] of Phlips (1972) or Taylor and Weiserbs (1972). Probably only they could be interested in a presentation of the theory underlying these studies and/or in some improvements in the empirical comparison realized by L. Taylor and myself. There is nothing here for a revolution in the theory of the consumer but only an attempt to ornament the last one.
Research supported by the FRFC. I am grateful to J. Dreze, M. Manove and L. Phlips for helpful discussions.