Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter, Second Edition
One of the biggest problems with modern democracy is that most of the public is usually ignorant of politics and government. Many people understand that their votes are unlikely to change the outcome of an election and don't see the point in learning much about politics. This creates a nation of people with little political knowledge and little ability to objectively evaluate what they do know.

The second edition of Democracy and Political Ignorance fully updates its analysis to include new and vital discussions on the implications of the "Big Sort" for politics, the link between political ignorance and the disproportionate political influence of the wealthy, assessment of proposed new strategies for increasing political knowledge, and up-to-date survey data on political ignorance during recent elections. Ilya Somin mines the depths of the current state of ignorance in America and reveals it as a major problem for democracy. He weighs various options for solving this problem, provocatively arguing that political ignorance is best mitigated and its effects lessened by decentralizing and limiting government. People make better decisions when they have stronger incentives to acquire relevant information—and to use it wisely.

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Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter, Second Edition
One of the biggest problems with modern democracy is that most of the public is usually ignorant of politics and government. Many people understand that their votes are unlikely to change the outcome of an election and don't see the point in learning much about politics. This creates a nation of people with little political knowledge and little ability to objectively evaluate what they do know.

The second edition of Democracy and Political Ignorance fully updates its analysis to include new and vital discussions on the implications of the "Big Sort" for politics, the link between political ignorance and the disproportionate political influence of the wealthy, assessment of proposed new strategies for increasing political knowledge, and up-to-date survey data on political ignorance during recent elections. Ilya Somin mines the depths of the current state of ignorance in America and reveals it as a major problem for democracy. He weighs various options for solving this problem, provocatively arguing that political ignorance is best mitigated and its effects lessened by decentralizing and limiting government. People make better decisions when they have stronger incentives to acquire relevant information—and to use it wisely.

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Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter, Second Edition

Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter, Second Edition

by Ilya Somin
Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter, Second Edition

Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter, Second Edition

by Ilya Somin

Paperback(Reprint)

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Overview

One of the biggest problems with modern democracy is that most of the public is usually ignorant of politics and government. Many people understand that their votes are unlikely to change the outcome of an election and don't see the point in learning much about politics. This creates a nation of people with little political knowledge and little ability to objectively evaluate what they do know.

The second edition of Democracy and Political Ignorance fully updates its analysis to include new and vital discussions on the implications of the "Big Sort" for politics, the link between political ignorance and the disproportionate political influence of the wealthy, assessment of proposed new strategies for increasing political knowledge, and up-to-date survey data on political ignorance during recent elections. Ilya Somin mines the depths of the current state of ignorance in America and reveals it as a major problem for democracy. He weighs various options for solving this problem, provocatively arguing that political ignorance is best mitigated and its effects lessened by decentralizing and limiting government. People make better decisions when they have stronger incentives to acquire relevant information—and to use it wisely.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780804799317
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Publication date: 06/15/2016
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 312
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Ilya Somin is Professor at the George Mason UniversitySchool of Law. Somin writes regularly for the Volokh Conspiracy law and politics blog at the Washington Post. He is also the author of The Grasping Hand: Kelo v. City of New London and the Limits of Eminent Domain (2015), and coauthor of A Conspiracy Against Obamacare: The Volokh Conspiracy and the Health Care Case (2013).

Table of Contents

Preface to the Second Edition ix

Acknowledgments for the First Edition xiii

Introduction 1

1 The Extent of Political Ignorance 17

2 Do Voters Know Enough? 47

3 The Rationality of Political Ignorance 74

4 The Shortcomings of Shortcuts 106

5 Foot Voting vs. Ballot Box Voting 136

6 Political Ignorance and Judicial Review 182

7 Can Voter Knowledge Be Increased? 197

Conclusion 224

Appendix 233

Notes 235

Index 281

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