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Against Democracy
Book

Against Democracy

Princeton UP, 2016 plus...

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Controversial
  • Innovative

Recommendation

Contrarian political philosopher Jason Brennan frets about democracy and the intellectual fitness of voters. The controversial Georgetown University professor argues for giving voting rights only to those who can pass a test or prove that they’re capable and competent. Brennan’s “epistocratic” vision is sacrilege to the world’s democracies and, despite his counterarguments, elitist, or at least exclusionary. Yet, to his credit, he manages to make a calm, logical case. Brennan’s analysis of how and why democracies go astray is worth reading. While always politically neutral, getAbstract recommends his treatise to those policymakers, leaders and citizens who’d be intrigued by an out-of-the-mainstream analysis of modern politics.

Take-Aways

  • Making decisions about governing is a monumental task that has the potential to do grave harm.
  • Despite this harsh reality, democracies let anyone and everyone vote, regardless of their competence and knowledge.
  • Voters break down into three categories: “hobbits, hooligans and vulcans.”

About the Author

Georgetown University professor of strategy, economics, ethics and public policy Jason Brennan co-wrote Marketing without Limits with Peter Jaworkski, A Brief History of Liberty with David Schmidtz, and Compulsory Voting: For and Against with Lisa Hill. He also wrote The Ethics of Voting, Why Not Capitalism? and Libertarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know.