Democracy or Epistocracy?

the AZEL PERSPECTIVE Commentary on Cuba's Future, U.S. Foreign Policy & Individual Freedoms - Issue 398 B

José Azel's latest books "On Freedom" and "Sobre La Libertad" are now available on Amazon.  Democracy or Epistocracy? (Previously published) Share Tweet Forward

We often think of ancient Athens as the classic example of democratic governance. In fact, however, ancient Athens was an epistocracy where only a small number of the most educated members of society voted. By definition, an epistocracy is rule by citizens with political knowledge. In contrast with democracy, where the right to vote is equally shared by all citizens, an epistocracy is a political system that concentrates political power in citizens according to their knowledge of public affairs. Epistocracy is government by the knowledgeable.  In an epistocracy, the votes of people who can demonstrate political knowledge count more than the votes of those who cannot, and many approaches have been suggest to accomplish this vote allocation. For example, English philosopher John Stuart Mill, to oppose the tyranny of the masses, proposed that votes should be weighted according to the educational standards of the citizens.  In his book Against Democracy (2016), political philosopher Jason Brennan challenges the idea that our modern version of democracy is good and moral. He argues that most citizens have little interest in politics, and do a poor job informing themselves on political issues. Accordingly, such people should not be allowed to make critically important decisions for others.  In his review of the book, law professor Ilya Somin notes that “Ignorant or illogical decisions by voters can easily lead to ill-advised wars, economic recessions... and other catastrophes that imperil the lives, freedom, and welfare of large numbers of people. If we refuse to tolerate ignorant medical practice or ignorant plumbing, we should take an equally dim view of ignorant voting.”  Plato, of course, argued for his philosopher king, but an interesting argument for epistocracy is what Brennan calls the “competence principle.” In his view, the right to participate in the political process is fundamentally different from other rights because it involves imposing our will upon other people. Consequently, voting it is a right that imposes the obligation of informing ourselves of political issues so as to use our voting power competently. Moreover,  anyone denied the right to vote under epistocratic rules can remedy the situation by informing themselves and passing some testing system.  Democracy is not an end it itself, but a blunt instrument to generate good outcomes for society. Yet, democratic voting does not always produce good governments. Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in the final free election of the Weimar Republic, and Hugo Chavez’s election in Venezuela are just two salient examples.  In our popular understanding of democracy, we, as voters, have preferences about what the government should do, and we elect leaders that vow to enact policies in-line with our preferences. This idealistic theory of democracy assumes that engaged citizens are capable of informing themselves on the many issues a nation faces and can master the policy intricacies to judge intelligently. This view of democracy also posits that voters can assess the qualifications of competing candidates and then vote for the candidate that best matches their own political values. Unfortunately, contemporary political science has found little evidence that voters fit this idealistic profile.  These realizations take us back to the arguments for epistocracy. Can democracy be improved by allocating political power to citizens according to their knowledge of public affairs? This epistocratic model is viewed quite favorably in Latin America and other regions where a certain distrust for popular vote persists.  At the root of these issues is a basic misunderstanding of democracy itself. It is probably true that an epistocratic model of rule by the wise would promote wiser decision-making and wiser laws than a democratic model. It may even be claimed that epistocratic governance would improve the wellbeing of society. But democracy is not just about its capacity to promote good policy outcomes. Rather, democracy is more about how the decisions are arrived at.  Democracy is not necessarily about optimal decision-making; democracy is about sharing perspectives and power. Democracy is about delivering political equality and freedom, and sometimes democracy delivers suboptimal decision-making.  Please let us know if you  this article. We welcome your feedback. Abrazos, Lily & José (click on the name to email Lily or Jose) José Azel, Ph.D. José Azel left Cuba in 1961 as a 13 year-old political exile in what has been dubbed Operation Pedro Pan - the largest unaccompanied child refugee movement in the history of the Western Hemisphere.   He is currently dedicated to the in-depth analyses of Cuba's economic, social and political state, with a keen interest in post-Castro-Cuba strategies. Dr. Azel was a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) at the University of Miami, Jose Azel has published extensively on Cuba related topics. In 2012 and 2015, Dr. Azel testified in the U.S. Congress on U.S.-Cuba Policy, and U.S. National Security.  He is a frequent speaker and commentator on these and related topics on local, national and international media.  He holds undergraduate and masters degrees in business administration and a Ph.D. in International Affairs from the University of Miami. José along with his wife Lily are avid skiers and adventure travelers.  In recent years they have climbed Grand Teton in Wyoming, trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Machu Pichu in Peru.  They have also hiked in Tibet and in the Himalayas to Mt. Everest Base Camp. They cycled St. James Way (El Camino de Santiago de Compostela) and cycled alongside the Danube from Germany to Hungary and throughout southern France.  They have scuba dived in the Bay Islands off the Honduran coast and in the Galapagos Islands. Most recently, they rafted for 17 days 220 miles in the Grand Canyon.  Their adventurers are normally dedicated to raise funds for causes that are dear to them.  Watch Joe & Lily summit Kilimanjaro. Books by Dr. José Azel José Azel’s writings are touched with the wisdom of a master, and the charm of an excellent communicator. Anyone who wishes to understand why countries do, or do not, progress will find in this book the best explanations. And, from these readings emerge numerous inferences: How and why do the good intentions of leftist collectivism lead countries to hell? Why is liberty not a sub product of prosperity, but rather one of its causes? If it was in my power, this work would be required reading for all college and university students, and I would also recommend its reading to all politicians, journalists, and policymakers. With his writings Azel accomplishes what was achieved in France by Frédéric Bastiat, and in the United States by Henry Hazlitt: Azel brings together common sense with intelligent observation, and academic substance. Stupendous, Carlos Alberto Montaner                                                                    BUY NOW Los escritos de José Azel están tocados por la sabiduría de un maestro y la amenidad de un excelente comunicador. Cualquiera que desee entender por qué los países progresan, o no, encontrará en este libro las mejores explicaciones. De estas lecturas surgen numerosas inferencias: ¿Cómo y por qué las buenas intenciones del colectivismo de izquierda llevan a los países al infierno? ¿Por qué la libertad no es un subproducto de la prosperidad, sino una de sus causas? Si estuviera en mis manos, esta obra sería de obligada lectura de todos los estudiantes universitarios, pero además, le recomendaría su lectura a todos los políticos, periodistas y policy makers. Con sus escritos Azel logra lo que Frédéric Bastiat consiguiera en Francia y Henry Hazlitt en Estados Unidos: aunar el sentido común, la observación inteligente y la enjundia académica. Estupendo. Carlos Alberto Montaner                                                            Compre Aqui "Liberty for beginners is much more than what the title promises. It is eighty themes touched with the wisdom of a master, and the charm of an excellent communicator. Anyone that wishes to understand why countries do, or do not progress, will find in this book the best explanations. Stupendous" Carlos Alberto Montaner Buy Now "Libertad para novatos es mucho más de lo que promete el título. Son ochenta temas tocados con la sabiduría de un maestro y la amenidad de un excelente comunicador. Cualquier adulto que desee saber por qué progresan o se estancan los pueblos aquí encontrará las mejores explicaciones. Estupendo." Carlos Alberto Montaner Compre Aqui In Reflections on Freedom, José Azel brings together a collection of his columns published in prestigious newspapers.  Each article reveals his heartfelt and personal awareness of the importance of freedom in our lives.  They are his reflections after nearly sixty years of living and learning as a Cuban outside Cuba. In what has become his stylistic trademark, Professor Azel brilliantly introduces complex topics in brief journalistic articles. Buy Now En Reflexiones sobre la libertad José Azel reúne una colección de sus columnas publicadas en prestigiosos periódicos. Cada artículo revela su percepción sincera y personal de la importancia de la libertad en nuestras vidas. Son sus reflexiones después de casi sesenta años viviendo y aprendiendo como cubano fuera de Cuba.  En lo que ha resultado ser característica distintiva de sus artículos, el Profesor Azel introduce con brillantez complejos temas en  breves artículos de carácter periodístico. Compre Aqui Mañana in Cuba is a comprehensive analysis of contemporary Cuba with an incisive perspective of the Cuban frame of mind and its relevancy for Cuba's future. Buy now