Don Boudreaux on Public Choice in Politics

Don Boudreaux of George Mason University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about public choice: the application of economics to the political process. Boudreaux argues that political competition is a blunt instrument that works less effectively than economic competition. One reason for this bluntness is the voting process itself--where intensity does not matter, only whether a voter prefers one candidate to the other. A second reason is that political outcomes tend to be one-size-fits-all, which often leads to dissatisfaction. Boudreaux defends the morality of not voting, while Roberts, who does vote from time to time, concedes that one's vote is almost always irrelevant in determining the outcome.

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About this week's guest: Don Boudreaux's Home page Cafe Hayek. Don Boudreaux's blog (with Russ Roberts) About ideas and people mentioned in this podcast: Books: Collected Works of James M. Buchanan, 9 vols. available on Econlib.In print, 20 vols. available individually or as a set from Liberty Fund, Inc. Articles: "Public Choice," by William Shughart II. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. "Rent Seeking," by David R. Henderson. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. David Hume. Biography. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Friedrich A. Hayek. Biography. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. James Buchanan. Biography. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Kenneth Arrow. Biography. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Web Pages: Southeast Texas Nursery Growers' Association. (Could find no website yet for the Southwest Texas association.) Podcasts and Blogs: Garett Jones on Macro and Twitter. EconTalk podcast. Boettke on Elinor Ostrom, Vincent Ostrom, and the Bloomington School. Shame and other cultural deterrents of undesirable behavior. EconTalk podcast. Caplan on the Myth of the Rational Voter. EconTalk podcast. Giving Away Money: An Economist's Guide to Political Life. EconTalk podcast. Previous episodes featuring Don Boudreaux. EconTalk podcasts.