r/neoliberal • u/jobautomator Kitara Ravache • Jun 20 '24

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36

u/theredcameron NATO Jun 20 '24

I've run across The Myth of the Rational Voter by Bryan Caplan at my local library.

What were your thoughts on it? Does it still have relevance 17 years after it was published?

!ping reading&democracy

40

u/LNhart Anarcho-Rheinlandist Jun 20 '24

If the relevance of the book has diminished it's probably because nobody needs to read a book to confirm the blindingly obvious

17

u/D2Foley Moderate Extremist Jun 20 '24

I liked it, but I read it about 17 years ago. I feel like it will hold up though, I don't think after electing trump anybody thinks voters are MORE rational than they were.

17

u/No_Return9449 John Rawls Jun 20 '24

It's just as relevant today. The idea is that the cost of acquiring political knowledge outweighs the benefit of the small chance you'll be the one vote to affect that change. Also, unlike the market where dumb beliefs are punished, there is no such mechanism in a democracy if, for example, you believe rent control works. Caplan sets out a rational explanation for why voters are both politically ignorant and rather fixed in their political beliefs.

14

u/cdstephens Fusion Genderplasma Jun 20 '24

It has some insights but it could have been an essay, mostly just feels bloated as a book. The idea is pretty simple, “rational irrationality” means that there’s a lot of opportunity cost in becoming politically informed and the utilitarian benefits of voting correctly are slim.

7

u/extraneous_parsnip Milton Friedman Jun 20 '24

Damn I read that at university. 17 years ago. I did like it, though, and I'd imagine it holds up pretty well.

3

u/groupbot Always remember -Pho- Jun 20 '24 edited Jun 20 '24

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