TY - JOUR
T1 - Against Epistocracy
AU - Moraro, Piero
N1 - Includes bibliographical references.
PY - 2018/4
Y1 - 2018/4
N2 - Jason Brennan has argued that democracy is intrinsically unjust, for it grants voting power to politically incompetent individuals, thus exposing people to an undue risk of harm. He claims democracy should be replaced by epistocracy, i.e., the rule of the knowers. In this paper, I show that his argument fails. First, Brennan mistakes voters’ competence for voters’ trustworthiness. Second, despite Brennan’s claim to the contrary, an epistocracy may not reduce people’s exposure to an undue risk of harm. Third, Brennan overlooks the fact that citizens are not equally affected by ‘bad voting.’ Fourth, far from being a defence of libertarian ideals, Brennan’s argument supports paternalism.
AB - Jason Brennan has argued that democracy is intrinsically unjust, for it grants voting power to politically incompetent individuals, thus exposing people to an undue risk of harm. He claims democracy should be replaced by epistocracy, i.e., the rule of the knowers. In this paper, I show that his argument fails. First, Brennan mistakes voters’ competence for voters’ trustworthiness. Second, despite Brennan’s claim to the contrary, an epistocracy may not reduce people’s exposure to an undue risk of harm. Third, Brennan overlooks the fact that citizens are not equally affected by ‘bad voting.’ Fourth, far from being a defence of libertarian ideals, Brennan’s argument supports paternalism.
KW - Democracy
KW - Epistocracy
KW - Competence
KW - Trust
KW - Risk
UR - https://www.pdcnet.org/pdc/bvdb.nsf/purchase?openform&fp=soctheorpract&id=soctheorpract_2018_0999_5_8_35
U2 - 10.5840/soctheorpract20185835
DO - 10.5840/soctheorpract20185835
M3 - Article
SN - 2154-123X
VL - 44
SP - 199
EP - 216
JO - Social Theory and Practice
JF - Social Theory and Practice
IS - 2
ER -