When Ignorance Isn't Bliss

A recent thread on ATS suggested that people with low IQs tend to vote Republican.
While this generalization is not true, it appears voters in general are woefully ignorant of politics.
The following is a lengthy article from the Cato Institute on voter ignorance

Democracy demands an informed electorate. Voters who lack adequate knowledge about politics will find it difficult to control public policy. Inadequate voter knowledge prevents government from reflecting the will of the people in any meaningful way. Such ignorance also raises doubts about democracy as a means of serving the interests of a majority. Voters who lack sufficient knowledge may be manipulated by elites. They may also demand policies that contravene their own interests.

The American electorate does not have adequate knowledge for voters to control public policy. Scholars have long documented the limits of voter knowledge about the institutions and policies of the government. That ignorance is not a moral failing. The rational voter has little incentive to gain more knowledge about politics because his or her vote is unlikely to affect the outcome. Since gaining more knowledge offers few benefits and substantial costs, the average citizen remains ignorant, though rationally so. Some scholars have argued that citizens use "shortcuts" to gain enough knowledge to participate in self-government. The evidence does not support the "shortcut" argument.

introduction to article
complete 28 page report in .pdf

Voters are less informed and less intelligent of government...
government is so big that even the most informen and intelligent cannot influence or understand it.

I am feeling confused.

I was going to read the entire article but do not have adobe reader.
Guess i will Blissfully remain ignorantly uninformed.

reply to post by slugger9787


ilya somin is born in russia in 1973 and emigrated to usa in 1783. welcome to america, glad to see your family voted with their feet.

get after it defcom0