Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter, Second Edition 2nd Edition

"In this second edition of Democracy and Political Ignorance, Ilya Somin significantly strengthens his already compelling case for a more limited government. He elegantly persuades readers to embrace the implications of pervasive, problematic, and oft-times entirely rational voter ignorance. The relevance of this book can't be exaggerated. Professionals and non-specialists alike interested in the intersection of political science, political philosophy, and epistemology should find Democracy and Political Ignorance a very rewarding read."—Christopher Robichaud, Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Somin's work is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand the pathologies of American democracy or what we can do about it.....
The second edition contains a number of important updates....  includ[ing] data from recent elections... and a good response to defenders of sortition." - Jason Brennan, Georgetown University, author of The Ethics of Voting.

"I am very glad that I read this book. It was stimulating. It was well-written. It did all the John Stuart Mill things about making one think again, and questioning one’s own positions, that you would like a book to do. If you have an interest in constitutional law, and whether you classify yourself as a libertarian, a majoritarian, or something else again, put this book on your list to order." - James Allan, Constitutional Commentary

PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION:

"Voter ignorance can be rational... But as Ilya Somin demonstrates in this mind-opening book, voter ignorance has bad consequences that strengthen the case for limited government, including judicial review to put a leash on wayward majorities."—George F. Will, Journalist and Pulitzer Prize Winner

"Democracy and Political Ignorance is the most cogent, thoughtful, and up-to-date book on political ignorance on the market."—Bryan Caplan, George Mason University, author of The Myth of the Rational Voter

"Political scientists have long worried about voter ignorance, but the law has been slow to catch up. Ilya Somin is part of an important group of legal thinkers grappling with this issue and its legal implications. With exceptional clarity, Somin offers a variety of solutions to the problem of voter ignorance, including a spirited and systematic defense of the value of voting with one's feet."—Heather Gerken, Yale Law School

"Ilya Somin has an excellent new book on the problem of political ignorance in democracy... Highly recommended." - Jason Brennan, Georgetown University, author of The Ethics of Voting

"An excellent new book." - John McGinnis, Northwestern University School of Law.

"Penetrating analysis of the problem with majoritarianism." - Randy Barnett, Georgetown University Law Center.

"Ilya [Somin's] book is well worth reading for anyone interested in the problem of how a democracy can cope with an electorate that isn’t particularly interested in politics. It’s lucid, original, and in many ways compelling." - Sean Trende, Senior Elections Analyst, RealClearPolitics

"Ilya Somin…  shows that Americans know woefully little about their political system, have known very little for a long time, and are not likely to change in the foreseeable future — because they have a very good reason not to… [M]any insights…  come out of a book on ignorance that is, perhaps paradoxically, highly informative." – A. Barton Hinkle, Richmond Times-Dispatch

"A great book... According to Bryan Caplan this is 'the most cogent, thoughtful, and up-to-date book on political ignorance on the market.' I totally agree."  - Aristides Hatzis, University of Athens, editor of Economic Analysis of Law: A European Perspective

"An original analysis of the limits of mass democracy." - Carlo Lottieri, Il Giornale (Italy)

"Deploying ignorance as an argument against the democratic organization of political and social institutions has a long history, many attempts of which are not nearly as thorough, engaging, and fair-minded as Somin’s book.... Somin’s answer to the question ‘Who, exactly, decides where and how government should be ‘smaller’ in order to be smarter?’ is well-reasoned and challenging." - Nicholas Zavediuk, Journal of Public Deliberation

“Democracy and Political Ignorance is a fascinating and provocative work of scholarship…. [It] provides a well reasoned, carefully qualified case for smaller government. … Somin’s preferences are clearly on the libertarian, decentralized side of the spectrum. Yet one need not subscribe to all—or indeed any—of his normative conclusions to appreciate his smart, thoughtful consideration of the issues.” - Christopher Schmidt, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology

"A new book, Democracy and Political Ignorance from the Stanford University Press, is now a must-read for the policy/ government types in the US." - Marlen Ronquillo, Manila Times (the Phillippines)