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The Impartial Spectator Goes to Washington: Toward a Smithian Theory of Electoral Behavior

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  • Brennan, Geoffrey
  • Lomasky, Loren

Abstract

When economists pay homage to the wisdom of the distant past (not the most common of professional exercises) it is more likely that a work two decades old is being admired than one two centuries old. Economics is a science, and the sciences are noteworthy for their digestion and assimilation of the work of previous generations. Contributions remain only as accretions to the accepted body of knowledge; the writings and the writers disappear almost without trace. A conspicuous exception to this rule of professional cannibalization is Adam Smith. Since 1776 he has not lacked for honors that have escaped even his most illustrious peers. Who, after all, wears a David Ricardo necktie? So to the author of The Wealth of Nations, all praise!

Suggested Citation

  • Brennan, Geoffrey & Lomasky, Loren, 1985. "The Impartial Spectator Goes to Washington: Toward a Smithian Theory of Electoral Behavior," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(2), pages 189-211, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:ecnphi:v:1:y:1985:i:02:p:189-211_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Loren Lomasky, 2022. "Collaboration as communication: writing with Geoffrey Brennan," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 193(3), pages 127-132, December.
    2. Elias L. Khalil, 2001. "Adam Smith and Three Theories of Altruism," Recherches économiques de Louvain, De Boeck Université, vol. 67(4), pages 421-435.
    3. Robert Sugden, 2004. "What Public Choice and Philosophy Should Not Learn from One Another," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(1), pages 207-211, January.
    4. Brad Taylor, 2015. "Strategic and expressive voting," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 159-170, June.
    5. Mihai UNGUREANU & Andra ROESCU, 2015. "Economic models of voting: an empirical study on the electoral behavior in Romanian 2012 parliamentary elections," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(3(604), A), pages 63-74, Autumn.
    6. Gebhard Kirchgässner & Tobias Schulz, 2005. "Expected Closeness or Mobilisation: Why Do Voters Go to the Polls? Empirical Results for Switzerland, 1981 – 1999," CESifo Working Paper Series 1387, CESifo.
    7. repec:agr:journl:v:3(604):y:2015:i:3(604):p:63-74 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Werner Güth, 2005. "On Inequity Aversion," Papers on Strategic Interaction 2005-24, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Strategic Interaction Group.

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