« Markets in everything | Main | Health care: a science fiction story »
The Myth of the Rational Voter, by Bryan Caplan
Buy it here. Just like everyone else is doing.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on April 18, 2007 at 07:25 PM in Books, Political Science | Permalink
Comments
Yes, it's expensive, but it qualifies for free shipping. Your purchase of this book is much more rational than voting.
Posted by: Franklin Harris at Apr 18, 2007 8:33:38 PM
I found this introduction at Cato Unbound (by the author):
http://www.cato-unbound.org/2006/11/06/bryan-caplan/the-myth-of-the-rational-voter/
"My final remedy for voter irrationality, then, is for people who know more than the average voter to stop being so modest. When experts and those who heed them address a broader audience — in the media, in their writings, or in a classroom — they need to focus on the questions where experts and the public disagree, and clearly explain why the experts are right and the public is wrong. Thus, when economists get the public's ear, they should not bore them with the details of national income statistics, or quibble with each other about marginal issues. They should challenge the public's misconceptions about markets, foreigners, saving labor, and progress."
I like it, but ...
I think you could substitute "scientist" for "economist" and "misconceptions about markets" for "misconceptions about climate" and ruffle a few feathers.
Think how many have so much invested in those other sort of experts being wrong, and the untutored instincts of the masses being correct!
Posted by: odograph at Apr 18, 2007 9:58:55 PM
Don't ecomomists also claim that it is not rational to spend your time voting. Maybe it is economists who nave deeply, persistently, and systematically mistaken models of reality.
Posted by: joan at Apr 19, 2007 12:19:51 AM
Yes, joan, they do claim it is not rational to vote. You are more likely to win the lottery than change a high-turnout election.
Posted by: TGGP at Apr 19, 2007 1:24:31 AM
Yes, joan, they do claim it is not rational to vote. You are more likely to win the lottery than change a high-turnout election.
Posted by: TGGP at Apr 19, 2007 1:24:50 AM
If I were a Libertarian, I'd swiftboat American voters, too.
At least Caplan's guy beat the Socialist Workers Party candidate last time out.
Posted by: alphie at Apr 19, 2007 2:09:11 AM
Thanks to Prof Caplan Economists can continue contributing more to understanding of decision making
and democracy than the political scientists. Just what is it that those guys do? If they have come
up with any interesting ideas word of it has failed to get out.....Oh--its a pretty good read!
Posted by: Robert at Apr 19, 2007 2:30:03 AM
Careful economists do not claim that it is irrational to vote - just that's irrational to vote so as to change the outcome of the election.
Posted by: hawthorne at Apr 19, 2007 3:39:42 AM
Prequel: "The good king: Why autocratic rule is even worse"
Posted by: jaywalker at Apr 19, 2007 7:03:28 AM
It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.
Sir Winston Churchill
Posted by: nicoli at Apr 19, 2007 8:32:37 AM
It will be interesting to see if he handles Whittman's basic criticism: consumers are irrational in the same ways Caplan considers voters irrational. Yet Caplan doesn't consider this a big problem for markets.
Caplan suggests relying more on markets to compensate for voter irrationality. Symmetry suggests that we rely more on voting to compensate for consumer irrationality. And yet a third option is to rely on independent agencies (courts and regulatory agencies such as the Fed).
So the big question in my mind is just how bad the libertarian propaganda and special pleading is. Caplan has a very creative mind.
Posted by: Mike Huben at Apr 19, 2007 9:02:23 AM
Mike,
The fundamental distinction between markets and elections is that in markets
the individual who makes bad choices suffers the consequences of those choices.
Alas, voters who make bad choices suffer only a small fraction of those choices,
the balance of which falls upon us all. That is the primary reason Caplan
would wish to compensate for voter irrationality with markets.
Posted by: hamilton at Apr 19, 2007 9:58:56 AM
Maybe it is economists who nave deeply, persistently, and systematically mistaken models of reality.
What you mean like advocating a behavior known to spread fatal disease, because a logical parlor trick says that it will prevent disease?
Economics: Its all fun and games until someone pokes their T-cells out.
Posted by: Jason Malloy at Apr 19, 2007 10:13:33 AM
"Careful economists do not claim that it is irrational to vote - just that's irrational to vote so as to change the outcome of the election."
I don't vote thinking I'll influence the outcome, I vote to allow myself the right to complain about whoever is in charge if the person I voted for loses. I think that is fairly rational.
Posted by: sfa at Apr 19, 2007 1:37:02 PM
sfa, why don't you "allow [your]self the right to complain" and at the same time not vote? It seems pretty goofy to me that you don't do as I and Caplan do, grumbling about getting the government voters deserve.
Mike, Caplan replied to the Wittman piece you posted here.
Posted by: TGGP at Apr 19, 2007 1:59:46 PM
People vote for the same reason that people write in the comment sections of blogs; they like the idea that their voices can be heard even if they don't necessarily have a tangible impact.
Posted by: Ricardo at Apr 19, 2007 11:57:56 PM
I can't encounter Bryan Caplan without being reminded of the Simpsons episode where the brainiacs take over Springfield.
Posted by: Luis Enrique at Apr 20, 2007 3:54:52 AM
In the comment section of a blog, I can carry on something of a conversation and hopefully find some good links to read. If I vote I add 1 to the vote total of some candidate that might never even get reported to that degree of exactness (depending on the gap between the winner and loser).
Posted by: TGGP at Apr 20, 2007 1:20:58 PM
Council: Stephen Hawking!
Skinner: The world's smartest man!
Lisa: What are you doing here?
Hawking: I wanted to see your utopia, but now I see it is
more of a Fruitopia.
Skinner: [chuckles] I'm sure what Dr. Hawking means is --
Hawking: Silence. I don't need anyone to talk for me, except
this voice box. You have clearly been corrupted by
power. For shame.
Homer: Larry Flynt is right! You guys stink!
Posted by: alec at Apr 20, 2007 1:43:17 PM
Is he going to follow up with "The Myth of the Rational Consumer?" He could keep the same cover graphic.
Posted by: johnrobert at Apr 20, 2007 2:35:12 PM
Ricardo ... I hear you man.
Posted by: odograph at Apr 20, 2007 5:14:47 PM
So much for a shining city on hill. Anybody who buys this tripe is a sheep. America is the best country on Earth. Try living in places where there is no law and order like South Africa, Venezuela, Baghdad or Redford Township, MI.
Posted by: Ron Reagan at Apr 20, 2007 10:47:35 PM
Ron Reagan: I'm not sure Caplan would disagree with you that the US is one of the better countries in terms of law and order, prosperity, freedom, etc. (Not sure why you chose to single out South Africa. It's not that bad, one of the better parts of Africa, along with Botswana.) However, a large part of the reason why the US is so great is that so much decision-making is in private hands. I think the argument here is just that things could be better.
Ricardo/Odograph: Even commenting on a blog is better than voting. Voting is anonymous.
Posted by: Chris Fox at Apr 24, 2007 12:58:19 AM
大家好，我是臺灣人，從臺灣一個人搬家來到美國，環境很陌生，感覺很孤單。以前在臺灣幾家知名的徵信社工作過，我是一個優秀的徵信工作者，希望早點找到適合自己的工作。希望通過貴站，認識更多的朋友。
Posted by: 謝文豪 at Apr 2, 2008 2:45:16 AM
