ABSTRACT
It is thus fitting to begin a study of the Samuelson Programme with an interpretation of ordinal utility theory, for, if we are to evaluate whether or not revealed preference theory succeeds in avoiding the pitfalls of ordinal utility theory, we must have an understanding of ordinal utility theory which is developed independently of Samuelson’s interpretation of that theory. And a study of the Hicks-Allen theory would be sufficient for our purposes since some of Samuelson’s objections against ordinal utility theory are directed at the Hicks-Allen theory.1
