Monday, June 15, 2009

Is Behavioural Economics Wrong?

There is a very interesting post, "Is behavioural economics wrong?" on the Stumbling and Mumbling Blog by Chris Dillow. (HT: Mark Thoma)

The blog discusses research that shows people act rationally and opposite to predictions of behavioral economics.
The issue here is a deep political one, not just an academic matter. Behavioural economics implies that a task for politicians is to protect people from themselves. However, if people behave rationally and prudently, this might not be necessary. Instead, the task of politics is to protect people not from their own stupidity, but from other people, bad luck and from their rulers, whether these are in government or boardrooms.

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