Quote of the Day: Rational Ignorance

[P]oliticians trying to select policies that will attract voters know that the voters will put much less energy into trying to make a correct choice than they would when purchasing an automobile or some other item whose shortcomings and advantages will accrue to them alone. The voters, therefore, are likely to be badly informed and may favor a politician or policies that are directly contrary to their interest. From the standpoint of the individual candidate, what is important is what the people want given their perception of the value of their vote on the outcome and the cost of becoming informed, not what they would want if they were better informed.…

But when I vote I am aware that my vote will have almost no effect on the kind of policies I shall get. The result occurs because the policies and politicians chosen will be determined to a much greater extent by the votes of other people. Politicians once again know this, and hence attempt to design policies which shall attract ill-informed voters.

That’s from Gordon Tullock’s 2005 collection, The Economics of Politics, which is Vol. 4 of The Selected Works of Gordon Tullock page 36 as quoted by Professor Don Boudreaux at the Café Hayek.

This is so very much relevant or applicable to Philippine politics.

Controversial issues brought to the table by the incumbent administration have essentially pandered to public’s perceived sense of value namely “anti-corruption” or “nationalism”.

Little has there been the realization that these actions have not only been designed for the coming 2013 elections, but most importantly, meant to subtly annex or to expand political power, by means of appealing to the popular sentiment or values of the "ill informed" voters, for personal goals.

It is as simple as saying that if there has been any one trait this administration has been adept at, it has been in the dexterous handling of voter's rational ignorance to their advantage.