Summary:
The book presents a critical examination of the democratic system, arguing that it often leads to suboptimal outcomes due to irrational and ill-informed voter behavior. It proposes an alternative "epistocracy," where political power is vested in the hands of the knowledgeable.
Key points:
1. Epistocracy vs. Democracy: Brennan suggests that democracy leads to poor outcomes because it treats uninformed voters the same as informed ones. He proposes "epistocracy," where political power is based on knowledge, aiming for better governance.
Books similar to "Against Democracy":
The Myth of the Rational Voter
Bryan Caplan
Democracy for Realists
Christopher H. Achen|Larry M. Bartels
The Future of Freedom
Fareed Zakaria
How Democracies Die
Steven Levitsky|Daniel Ziblatt
Uninformed
Arthur Lupia
Undaunted
John O. Brennan
Avoiding Politics
Nina Eliasoph
Trumpocalypse
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The Dying Citizen
Victor Davis Hanson
Too Much Information
Cass R. Sunstein