Review of Behavioral Economics > Vol 8 > Issue 3-4

Against Expertism

Roger Koppl, Department of Finance, Syracuse University, USA, rkoppl@syr.edu
 
Suggested Citation
Roger Koppl (2021), "Against Expertism", Review of Behavioral Economics: Vol. 8: No. 3-4, pp 361-377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/105.00000147

Publication Date: 09 Dec 2021
© 2021 R. Koppl
 
Subjects
 
Keywords
JEL Codes: A1, B52, B53, D91
Paternalismrationalityexpertexpertsexpertismstatusdominanceprestigereverse dominance hierarchieszoological perspective in social science
 

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Open Access

This is published under the terms of CC-BY.

In this article:
1. Introduction 
2. The Zoological Perspective in Social Science 
3. Status 
4. Conclusion 
References 

Abstract

Escaping Paternalism’s critique of the rationality assumption vindicates von Mises’ distinction between egalitarian contracts and hierarchical commands, revealing “libertarian paternalism” as an oxymoron. Putting Escaping Paternalism in a zoological context lets us see in “contract and coordination” status acquired by freely given prestige and in “command and subordination” status acquired by forcefully extracted dominance. Libertarian paternalism is a form of dominance. Thus, the “zoological perspective in the social sciences” extends Rizzo and Whitman’s critique of rationality and helps clarify “expertism,” that is, the attempt to acquire “dominance” by leveraging “prestige.” Humans have both an apish disposition to create linear dominance hierarchies and a disposition to form reverse dominance hierarchies. It is undecided whether we can strengthen reverse dominance hierarchies enough to prevent the boots of the few forever stamping on the faces of the many. It is undecided whether the liberal vision of egalitarian cooperation can prevail. But it’s worth fighting for.

DOI:10.1561/105.00000147

Companion

Review of Behavioral Economics, Volume 8, Issue 3-4 Special Issue: Escaping Paternalism: Articles Overiew
See the other articles that are part of this special issue.