Title: Good Intentions—Bad Consequences: Voters’ Information Problems
Author: Phillip Nelson
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 9781524673796
Pages: 172
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reviewed by: Krista Schnee
Pacific Book Review
In considering voter behavior in the United States, much of the literature has focused on self interest. A person on welfare, for example, would vote in favor of more government expenditures on the local populace. While self-interest is often a part of such decisions, it cannot explain the entirety of political preferences. Indeed, each vote has little impact on governmental policy, a fact that most citizens acknowledge. So how can academics better analyze this phenomenon? A more comprehensive view—one that embraces a wider perspective on voter behavior—is necessary.Regarding economic policy, citizens typically fall into one of two groups; liberal and conservative. Questions of redistributing wealth to the poor and protection of the environment dominate the political discussions of both groups. However, neither liberals nor conservatives make their voting decisions based on self-interest alone. What is ignored in this more simplistic analysis is that altruism can often play a large part, with the desire to do “good” overriding a common sense view of the larger questions.
Those liberals who value doing good over any other considerations do not take into account one important factor, and that is the long term effects of policy. Protecting the environment is an ideal, but the costs of doing so—e.g., lack of economic expansion, greater unemployment, etc—are unimportant. Of course, one would expect in the Internet age that a greater access to information regarding public policy would change voting behavior. It does not, however. These decisions are simply based on personal preferences, not an in-depth analysis of the effects of such views as they impact policy.
As voters interact with friends and associates, along with experience the personal consequences of policy decisions, their overall behavior in regards to political position may be altered. Although some professions are predominantly liberal, others are more traditionalist, providing a balance to the emphasis on altruism. With this mix of influences on voting behavior over a lifetime, how is one to define good public policy? Perhaps an appeal to the democratic ideal might be a guideline to a fair foundation of governmental legislation. Policy that would benefit the greatest number of people would be a benefit to all, something that even the most self-interested voter would applaud.
In Good Intentions—Bad Consequences: Voters’ Information Problems by Phillip Nelson, the decisions of today’s voters are analyzed, giving readers new insight into this often complex area of study. Nelson eschews the simpler analysis that has prevailed in previous literature, deciding instead to create a more comprehensive view. He provides interesting research regarding the impact of information on voter behavior, whether it confirms the voter’s initial viewpoint or changes it based on the potential consequences of policy. Nelson clearly illustrates the impact of various influences on the evolution of voters’ beliefs as well as practices during the course of a lifetime.
Phillip Nelson’s book, Good Intentions—Bad Consequences: Voters’ Information Problems, provides readers with a unique perspective on the often troublesome lack of consistency in voter decisions. Through an in-depth look at current literature from economists and other social scientists as well as his own additions to the common narratives, Nelson shows political candidates, researchers, and the everyday citizen the need for a more considered approach to policy decisions and the desire for the common good. Although this book would benefit any adult reader as it might elicit some introspection as far as their own beliefs, due to its extensive use of advanced terminology and research, it would be more accessible to those with a college education. With its new insights into voter behavior, Phillip Nelson’s book is highly recommended.
