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Ilya Somin
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Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter, Second Edition Paperback – June 15, 2016

by Ilya Somin (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 27 ratings
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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.

Ilya Somin mines the depths of  public ignorance in America and reveals it as a major challenge for democracy. He weighs various potential solutions, provocatively arguing that political ignorance is best mitigated and its effects lessened by decentralizing and limiting government. People make better decisions when they choose what to purchase in the market or which state or local government to live under, than when they vote at the ballot box, because they have stronger incentives to acquire relevant information and to use it wisely.

The second edition of Democracy and Political Ignorance fully updates its analysis to include new and vital discussions of the "Big Sort" and its implications for "voting with your feet," the connection between political ignorance and the disproportionate political influence of the wealthy, new proposals for increasing political knowledge, and up-to-date survey data on political ignorance from recent elections.

The first edition of this bookattracted interest around the world, and has been translated into Italian and Japanese.
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  1. Print length
    308 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    June 15, 2016
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.77 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0804799318
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0804799317
  7. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
27 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Discussion on Democracy
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
Non-partisan explanation on why Democracy does not provide optimum outcomes. Much less dense and cumbersome than “Democracy for Realists.”
One person found this helpful
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Jack Knudson
5.0 out of 5 stars Very practical normative solutions, and spot on positive analysis ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2017
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Very practical normative solutions, and spot on positive analysis. Should be required reading for anyone interested in democratic theory or justification.
One person found this helpful
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Joel Zigler
3.0 out of 5 stars Okay read
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2017
Verified Purchase
Others have done a good job reviewing this book. I only want to add that the author does not adequately consider how difficult it is for voters to get unbiased information from the media. Indeed, most political information that is readily available is mere propaganda. But this doesn't effect the author's final analysis, it only provides further support for the author's preferences for "foot voting".
3 people found this helpful
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Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and thought -provoking
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2019
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Wake up Amerika or else
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DK Guy
4.0 out of 5 stars His final conclusion that people would take the time to be knowledgable about voting matters if more decisions were made at a lo
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2017
Verified Purchase
Well grounded in studies but that means a bit of a slog to read. But his observations about the understandable lack of motivation most citizens have for taking the time to know about issues they vote on (the reality that my vote on't make a difference) coupled with the complexity and volume of issues makes widespread ignorance of Americans about political issues understandable. His point that when people are able to "vote with their feet" they become a lot more knowledgable was a valuable one. His final conclusion that people would take the time to be knowledgable about voting matters if more decisions were made at a local level is a great rationale for the conservative notion of the value of subsidiarity
2 people found this helpful
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7821325
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2017
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A bracing and vital argument for an age of information overload.
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Zofia
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2016
Verified Purchase
Good book
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Ronald M.
2.0 out of 5 stars First, assume a can opener
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2016
Yet another example of "assume a can opener" economics. The simple fact is that a majority of Americans can't vote with their feet - either because of an unwillingness to leave family and friends, because their work expertise isn't all that portable, or because the expense of moving is several times the size of their savings.

Smaller limited government is all well and good - there is PLENTY of bloat to be cut - but agitation to teach voters enough to take it back from the life-long professional politicians is more practical (and honorable, really) than bailing.

Still, this is an informative survey of the problem, even if the prescription is unrealistic
6 people found this helpful
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