Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review"In this second edition of
Democracy and Political Ignorance, Ilya Somin significantly strengthens his already compelling case for a more limited government. He elegantly persuades readers to embrace the implications of pervasive, problematic, and oft-times entirely rational voter ignorance. The relevance of this book can't be exaggerated. Professionals and non-specialists alike interested in the intersection of political science, political philosophy, and epistemology should find
Democracy and Political Ignorance a very rewarding read."—Christopher Robichaud, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
"The first edition was an excellent work, with ... powerful rebuttals to various 'wisdom of the crowd' theories, and a series of plausible proposals for how to reduce the damage political ignorance can do..Somin's work is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand the pathologies of American democracy or what we can do about it .....
The second edition contains a number of important updates .... includ[ing] data from recent elections... and a good response to defenders of sortition."—Jason Brennan, Georgetown University, author of
The Ethics of Voting.
Table of ContentsIntroduction
1. The Extent of Political Ignorance
2. Do Voters Know Enough?
3. The Rationality of Political Ignorance
4. The Shortcomings of Shortcuts
5. Foot Voting vs. Ballot Box Voting
6. Political Ignorance and Judicial Review
7. Can Voter Knowledge Be Increased?
Conclusion
