Customer Reviews:
 Pithy critique of economic ignorance August 6, 2007
Rolf Dobelli (Luzern Switzerland)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
Economists on the right and the left agree on a surprisingly large number of policy issues. They believe free trade is good, the U.S. budget deficit is not a problem and most human beings are better off now than in the past. Yet the democratic public doesn't agree. It fears trade and foreigners, thinks the budget deficit is a big problem and is pessimistic about the economy even during periods of record economic growth. But the worst part, says economics professor Bryan Caplan, is that the public votes. Drawing on empirical research about voter attitudes, Caplan describes how voters are mistaken about many policy issues and - more importantly - why they are wrong. His account is frighteningly plausible, but so is his solution: more economic education. We recommend this pithy volume to anyone concerned about voters' ostensibly self-defeating behavior. Democracy may be better than the alternatives, but no one said it was easy.
 If you're an economist it'll confirm that you are as smart as you think. Interesting read. February 12, 2008
Gordon Kelly (Ireland)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Very much a book for economists and academics. Caplan has done his homework and is a well-educated and deep but clear thinker. There is indeed controversy in this book but nothing that would shudder your faith. It occasionally borders on arrogance, elevating the righteousness of economists' doctrine to infallible papacy. There is the sense of padding at the end of the second chapter regarding metadata, although it can be lightly skipped through to maintain the good earlier pace set by the author.
Perhaps most impressive is the theory of rational irrationality and the quantifying of voter ignorance as a non-tradable personal commodity. Very interesting and enriching, although slightly pessimistic in its tone and taste. Nonetheless Caplan leaves you with hope. He is there after all to think for you!
 a bit of a dud November 3, 2007
Mr. J. Hudson
3 out of 15 found this review helpful
This book is very badly described; the general presentation gives the impression that the book would be amusing as well as controversial. The reality is a book written for the university educated and the class of society who never have to fear unemployment. The university style of writing makes it difficult to understand what he is going on about, since you have to keep looking up a dictionary. It is also rather boring, which makes it difficult to hold your concentration. The basic theme of the book is that economists think that the ordinary voter is irrational when it comes to politics and voting. The economist argues that because the economy keeps getting stronger; they are always right, and the public always wrong. Trade protectionism, mass immigration of cheap labour, downsizing which causes mass unemployment are all supported by the economist and not supported by the voter. It is easy to support the economic argument when you don't have to cope with unemployment for the rest of your life. Here and there you will find the odd bit of humour and some interesting points of discussion and argument. There is also a section which looks at the way politicians exploit the votering behaviour of the voter. If you read the first chapter and then the last two; you will probably get the general flow of the book. A bit of a dud.
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