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The government isn't optimized to produce the best case, it's optimized to avoid the worst case.
by karzeem 16y ago
The government isn't optimized to produce the best case, it's optimized to avoid the worst case.
- jacobolus 16y agoOr, more accurately, it’s optimized to avoid all of the worst cases from the perspectives of the various factions/interests within the society, for which each faction is willing to give up its personal “best case”. (The idea of a universal “best case” or “worst case” is rather meaningless.) Those interested in the original theory behind it should read Federalist #10 and Federalist #51, a pair of brilliant essays. http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa51.htm http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa51.htm (And if especially ambitious, should then read Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy, and Tocqueville’s Democracy in America)