November 6, 2006
Bryan Caplan
Since its inception, the slogan of Marginal Revolution has been "Small steps toward a much better world." It turns out, however, that MR's prolific Tyler Cowen doesn't think that policy would improve much even if everyone knew as much economics as he does:
Building coalitions requires politics. That includes compromises, horse-trading, shading the truth, and so on. "Me as politician" is not an especially wonderful vision. If I acted like Tyler the blogger, I would lose power very quickly. Even if I stayed in office. Having some "me's" in the voting booth wouldn't much change this.
We might avoid a few total bonehead policies, if only by shifting the bargaining point. But government wouldn't become much more efficient, at least not as long as coalitions need to be built.
Tyler advocates a lot of unpopular policies. He recently told U.S. News and World Report his top five, including "Eliminate all farm subsidies, quotas, and price supports. Eliminate all tariffs. Eliminate all budget earmarks. Eliminate all corporate welfare." But somehow, it wouldn't make much difference if everyone agreed with his hugely unpopular proposals?
This is crazy talk. The plain fact about U.S. politics is that when almost everyone wants a policy, it almost always happens. Counter-examples are few and far between - check the GSS.
The real puzzle, for me, is why Tyler is so unreasonably fatalistic. He can already say "The world will never listen to me." Why must he implausibly add that "It wouldn't make much difference if everyone agreed with me"?
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Small steps? Crazy? Not enough.
Let me tell you all a story. It's a story about philosophy. It's a story thousands of years old. It's a story that is true. It's a story that will be retold as long as there are humans.
Alexander the Great, the most powerful man in the world, more powerful than all the presidents who ever lived and who will ever lived, all of them combined; Alexander the Great, the son of Philip of Macedonia who conquered the Greeks and became their king; Alexander the Great who was tutored by Aristotle, Alexander who conquered the whole of the known world, Alexander the Great who killed several of his brothers to become Philip's successor, Alexander the Great had heard of a great philosopher whose name was Diogenes.
Alexander the Great sought out Diogenes, as an advisor, hoping to gain him for his own needs, and he and his men chased his kingdom to discover where he might be.
Alexander finally found Diogenes lying on a rock in the morning sun warming his body. Alexander and his men came upon Diogenes, and Alexander not sure if this was indeed the philosopher about whom he had heard, said, "I seek a philosopher named Diogenes, would you be such a man?"
Diogenes looked up, and responded, "Yes, I am such a man, and one who lies on the ground before you like a dog."
Alexander, shaken by this response re-asserted his stallion-like manliness, stating, "Oh Diogenes, I have searched my kingdom for you. I am Alexander, King of the Greeks, the Son of Philip of Macedonia who conquered the Greeks. Diogenes, there is little that is beyond my command as King. Is there any way I can pay tribute to you? Is there anything I can do for you, Diogenes? Tell me, Diogenes, what can Alexander do for you?"
To which Diogenes responded, "Yes, Alexander, son of Philip, there is something you can do for me... Step out of the sunlight that warms my body."
Small steps are too much. Being a conservative is something very few will ever understand.
Don Robertson, The American Philosopher
Limestone, Maine
An Illustrated Philosophy Primer for Young Readers
Precious Life - Empirical Knowledge
The Grand Unifying Theory & The Theory of Time
http://www.geocities.com/donaldwrobertson/index.html
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