b. 1948
Mario Rizzo is an American economist and professor at New York University, associated with the Austrian and law-and-economics traditions. He is known for his work on the foundations of market economics, time and ignorance in economic theory, and critiques of behavioral paternalism. His scholarship bridges economics and legal philosophy, particularly on questions of rationality, public goods, and the limits of regulatory intervention.
Co-authored 'Time and Ignorance' (1985) with Gerald O'Driscoll, a foundational work in Austrian macroeconomics
Founded and directed the Program on the Foundations of the Market Economy at NYU
Developed critiques of behavioral law and economics and anti-paternalism arguments
Co-authored 'Escaping Paternalism' (2020), challenging nudge theory and soft paternalism
Contributed to public goods theory and the economics of legal rules