Cato on Campus - Political Science: Political Theory

Freedom Properly Understood

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:18:00 EST

By Tom G. Palmer: "Let us hold up a standard of freedom, expressed in clear and precise terms, not modified by misleading adjectives, and promote that standard to the public, in the knowledge that with freedom � because of freedom � we enjoy prosperity, peace, dignity, knowledge, health, and so many other benefits. But as we enjoy the blessings of freedom, let us not confuse those blessings with freedom itself, for on that path we are led to lose both freedom and its blessings."

Are You Now or Have You Ever Been a Libertarian?

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:06:00 EST

By David Boaz: "It�s not only avowed critics of libertarianism who mischaracterize our ideas, but even some friends who offer a subtler critique. They are people who give an overly radical definition of libertarianism so that they can present themselves as the reasonable advocates of limited government, not the crazy libertarians."

Government, Bound or Unbound?

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:55:00 EST

By Anthony de Jasay: "Collective choice starts where unanimity ends, and involves some deciding for all, where the �some� control the apparatus of government. It is the potential for some to benefit morally and materially at the expense of others that creates the bone of contention and that limits on government are meant to move out of reach."

Pigs Don't Fly: The Economic Way of Thinking about Politics

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:05:00 EST

By Russell Roberts: "Politicians are just like the rest of us. They find it hard to do the right thing. They claim to have principles, but when their principles clash with what is expedient, they often find a way to justify their self-interest."

Democracy and Other Failures

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:32:00 EDT

By Doug Campbell: "The theory of public choice helps explain why we get stuck with so many bad economic policies. Or does it?"

The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:09:00 EDT

By Bryan Caplan: "In theory, democracy is a bulwark against socially harmful policies. In practice, however, democracies frequently adopt and maintain policies that are damaging. How can this paradox be explained?"

Two Kinds of Order

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT

John Marks suggests "that the fundamental differences between liberal and socialist societies arise because liberal societies depend primarily on evolutionary rationalism and spontaneous order, whereas the structures of socialist societies take constructive rationalism and designated order as their model."

Unintended Consequences

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT

By Rob Norton: "The law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of people - especially of government - always have effects that are unanticipated or "unintended." Economists and other social scientists have heeded its power for centuries; for just as long, politicians and popular opinion have largely ignored it."

Libertarianism: A Primer

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT

David Boaz presents the essential guidebook to the libertarian perspective, detailing its roots, central tenets, solutions to contemporary policy dilemmas, and future in American politics. He confronts head-on the tough questions frequently posed to libertarians: What about inequality? Who protects the environment? What ties people together if they are essentially self interested? A concluding section, "Are you a Libertarian?" gives readers a chance to explore the substance of their own beliefs. Libertarianism is must reading for understanding one of the most exciting and hopeful movements of our time.

The Nanny State

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT

"Today, conservatives on the right tend to want to pass laws regarding which drugs we ingest, what we do in our bedrooms, which pictures we look at, which movies we watch, and which music we listen to. At the same time, modern liberal public health advocates on the left want to heavily regulate what we eat; how food is grown, manufactured, marketed, and sold; our alcohol intake; which prescription drugs we should have access to; and what products are safe enough for us to use. Neither side has much respect for the idea that most Americans are capable of making these kinds of decisions for themselves."

Anarchy Unbound, or: Why Self-Governance Works Better than You Think

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EDT

By Peter T. Leeson. "Empirical evidence, past and present, sheds light on how individuals under anarchy develop private institutional solutions to address the problems that statelessness presents," Leeson writes. "The guiding force behind these solutions is none other than Adam Smith's 'Invisible hand.' Importantly, Smith's principle applies not only to individuals' activities in the context of well-functioning institutions, but also to their activities in the development of institutions themselves."