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The Myth of the Myth of the Rational Voter

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  • Dave Colander

Abstract

This paper argues that Bryan Caplan’s Myth of the Rational Voter overstates in case against democracy by not dealing with what might be called the historical/instrumentalist argument for democracy. It argues that the case for democracy that he attacks is primarily an academic exercise, which makes his argument against that case also an academic exercise. It further argues that the supposed policy choice that Caplan presents between the market and democracy is not the correct choice, and that his proposals that economists should be given more voting weight in the democratic decision process is inappropriate.

Suggested Citation

  • Dave Colander, 2008. "The Myth of the Myth of the Rational Voter," Middlebury College Working Paper Series 0807, Middlebury College, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mdl:mdlpap:0807
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    File URL: http://www.middlebury.edu/services/econ/repec/mdl/ancoec/0807.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Colander, David & Klamer, Arjo, 1987. "The Making of an Economist," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 1(2), pages 95-111, Fall.
    2. Colander, David, 2003. "The Aging of an Economist," Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(2), pages 157-176, June.
    3. Colander, David, 1993. "The Lost Art of Economics: Response," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 7(3), pages 213-215, Summer.
    4. David Colander, 2001. "The Lost Art of Economics," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2415.
    5. Robbins, Lionel [Lord], 1981. "Economics and Political Economy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(2), pages 1-10, May.
    6. Colander, David, 2004. "Rationalizing Capitalist Democracy: The Cold War Origins of Rational Choice Liberalism. By S. M. Amadae. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Pp. xii, 401. $59.00, cloth; $19.00, paper," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 64(1), pages 281-282, March.
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