What rational choice explains

Rational choice theories have been falsified by experimental tests of economic behavior and have not been supported by analyses of behavior in the market. Politics is an even less fertile field of application for rational choice theories because politics deals with ends as well as means, thus preven...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Critical review (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 1995-01, Vol.9 (1-2), p.107-126
Main Author: Lane, Robert E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
POLITICAL THEORY
Rational choice
RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY
Science
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Rational choice theories have been falsified by experimental tests of economic behavior and have not been supported by analyses of behavior in the market. Politics is an even less fertile field of application for rational choice theories because politics deals with ends as well as means, thus preventing ends-means rationality; voters have partisan loyalties often "fixed" in adolescence; political benefits have no common unit of measurement; "rational ignorance" inhibits rational choices; and there is no market-like feedback to facilitate learning. Research comparing public and private efficiency does not support rational choice. Ironically, while law and business schools are now employing better microeconomic theories, political scientists are taking up rational choice theory, regardless of the disconfirming evidence.
ISSN:0891-3811
1933-8007
DOI:10.1080/08913819508443375