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Most people believe democracy is a uniquely just form of government. They believe people have the right to an equal share of political power. And they believe that political participation is good for us—it empowers us, helps us get what we want, and tends to make us smarter, more virtuous, and more caring for one another. These are some of our most cherished ideas about democracy. But, Jason Brennan says, they are all wrong. In this trenchant book, Brennan argues that democracy should be judged by its results—and the results are not good enough. Just as defendants have a right to a fair trial, citizens have a right to competent government. But democracy is the rule of the ignorant and the irrational, and it all too often falls short. Furthermore, no one has a fundamental right to any share of political power, and exercising political power does most of us little good. On the contrary, a wide range of social science research shows that political participation and democratic deliberation actually tend to make people worse—more irrational, biased, and mean. Given this grim picture, Brennan argues that a new system of government—epistocracy, the rule of the knowledgeable—may be better than democracy, and that it's time to experiment and find out. A challenging critique of democracy and the first sustained defense of the rule of the knowledgeable, Against Democracy is essential reading for scholars and students of politics across the disciplines.

Democracy --- Knowledge, Theory of --- Expertise --- Philosophy --- Political aspects --- code --- 213 Democratie --- BPB9999 --- Philosophy. --- Political aspects. --- BPB1703 --- Démocratie --- Critique de la société --- Philosophie politique --- Democratie --- Maatschappijkritiek --- Politieke filosofie --- Politieke filosofie. Sociale filosofie --- Politieke systemen --- Political philosophy. Social philosophy --- Political systems --- politikai filozófia --- political philosophy --- poliittinen filosofia --- politische Philosophie --- политическа философия --- politisk filosofi --- filosofia política --- politická filozofie --- politična filozofija --- politinė filosofija --- filosofía política --- politická filozofia --- poliitiline filosoofia --- politieke filosofie --- politička filozofija --- filosofia politica --- filozofia polityczna --- политичка филозофија --- πολιτική φιλοσοφία --- politikas filozofija --- filosofija politika --- filozofi politike --- filozofie politică --- poliitiline teooria --- политичко начело --- teoría política --- parim politik --- politisk princip --- politischer Grundsatz --- political principle --- politický princíp --- politikai elmélet --- théorie politique --- politiskā teorija --- politička teorija --- politische Theorie --- politický princip --- teori politike --- principio político --- politisk teori --- politikos teorija --- politinis principas --- politieke theorie --- politiska principer --- Staatsphilosophie --- politiskais princips --- teorie politică --- политички принцип --- principiu politic --- political theory --- politická teória --- politikai elv --- politická teorie --- principio politico --- teoria política --- principe politique --- πολιτική αρχή --- poliittinen periaate --- poliittinen teoria --- teoria politica --- poliitiline põhimõte --- politikai alapelv --- politiek principe --- princípio político --- političko načelo --- politologie --- πολιτική πρακτική --- δημοκρατία --- demokrácia --- demokrātija --- democracia --- demokraatia --- democrazia --- demokracija --- demokratija --- democrație --- democracy --- demokratia --- demokracie --- demokracja --- demokrati --- demokraci --- demokracia --- democratie --- Demokratie --- demokrazija --- демокрация --- демократија --- politický pluralizmus --- pluralizm polityczny --- πολιτικός πλουραλισμός --- folkstyre --- folkestyre --- politiek pluralisme --- politischer Pluralismus --- politiskais plurālisms --- demokrātiska vienlīdzība --- politikai pluralizmus --- égalité démocratique --- politický pluralismus --- ugwaljanza demokratika --- pluraliżmu politiku --- barazi demokratike --- pluralismo político --- politinis pliuralizmas --- politisk jämlikhet --- демократична равнопоставеност --- igualdad democrática --- democratische gelijkheid --- demokratische Gleichheit --- δημοκρατικό πολίτευμα --- demokraattinen yhdenvertaisuus --- poliittinen pluralismi --- demokratična enakost --- democratic equality --- demokratikus egyenlőség --- pluralisme politique --- politisk mångfald --- demokraatlik võrdsus --- igualdade democrática --- politisk pluralism --- ludowładztwo --- политически плурализъм --- politisk pluralisme --- pluralism politic --- pluralismo politico --- pluralizëm politik --- demokratická rovnost --- politički pluralizam --- uguaglianza democratica --- politični pluralizem --- egalitate democratică --- demokratická rovnosť --- political pluralism --- poliitiline pluralism --- demokratinė lygybė --- политички плурализам --- fealsúnacht pholaitiúil --- daonlathas --- Democracy - Philosophy --- Knowledge, Theory of - Political aspects --- Expertise - Political aspects --- Démocratie

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Political philosophy is the study of the ethical relationships between individuals, society, and the state. In this Libertarianism.org Guide, professor Jason Brennan provides a working knowledge of many of the major issues, ideas, and arguments in philosophy.

Political science --- Liberty --- Political philosophy --- Philosophy.

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"Democracy is both an obvious and dubious idea. Here's why democracy is an obvious idea: For most of history, most governments divided people into the few who rule and the many who obey. The few then used the state to advance their own private interests at the expense of the many. Rulers were less like noble protectors appointed by God and more like intestinal parasites. The obvious solution is to eliminate the distinction between those who rule and those who obey. Make every citizen both a ruler and a subject of that rule. This ensures government promotes everyone's interests. Thus, democracy is the best form of government. It's too bad it took most of civilized history to realize this-and too bad that the world isn't more democratic than it is. Here's why democracy is a dubious idea. Government decisions are high stakes. It decides matters of war and peace, prosperity and poverty, freedom or oppression. Yet we let incompetent people steer the ship of state. Most voters are ignorant and process what little information they have in biased and irrational ways. They fall prey to propaganda and demagogues. They are conformists and don't even try to vote their interests. Democracy is the political equivalent of drunk driving. Thus, democracy is a defective form of government. Democracy is a method by which the masses shoot themselves in their feet. Philosophy students often start essays by writing, "Since the dawn of time, humanity has pondered..." In this case, these arguments and concerns are old, if not dawn-of-time old. We find laypeople, pundits, social scientists, and philosophers making these two arguments today. But in ancient Athens, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle said similar things"--

Democracy --- Political science --- Political philosophy. Social philosophy --- Political systems

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"Most economists believe capitalism is a compromise with selfish human nature. As Adam Smith put it, "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest." Capitalism works better than socialism, according to this thinking, only because we are not kind and generous enough to make socialism work. If we were saints, we would be socialists. In Why Not Capitalism?, Jason Brennan attacks this widely held belief, arguing that capitalism would remain the best system even if we were morally perfect. Even in an ideal world, private property and free markets would be the best way to promote mutual cooperation, social justice, harmony, and prosperity. Socialists seek to capture the moral high ground by showing that ideal socialism is morally superior to realistic capitalism. But, Brennan responds, ideal capitalism is superior to ideal socialism, and so capitalism beats socialism at every level.Clearly, engagingly, and at times provocatively written, Why Not Capitalism? will cause readers of all political persuasions to re-evaluate where they stand vis-à-vis economic priorities and systems--as they exist now and as they might be improved in the future."--

Capitalism. --- Philosophy --- General.