2024 Hans Sennholz Lecture featuring Dr. Randall Holcombe

Fri, February 16, 2024 12:00 PM at Club Spartan (338 Case Hall)

"Following Their Leaders: Political Preferences and Public Policy"

Models of democratic decision-making tend to assume that voters have preferences and that candidates adjust their platforms to conform with those preferences; however, the direction of causation is largely the opposite. Political elites offer policy platforms to voters, and voters adopt those policies - they follow their leaders. Following Their Leaders argues that policies are designed by the elite and the electorate has little say. Preferences for public policy tend to be anchored in a political identity associated with a candidate, party, or ideology; voters' preferences on most issues are derived from their anchor preferences. Because citizens adopt the policies offered by the elite, democratic institutions are ineffective constraints on the exercise of political power.

Randall G. Holcombe is DeVoe Moore Professor of Economics at Florida State University. Learn more about Dr. Holcombe HERE.

Click HERE for the livestream option of Dr. Holcombe's lecture.

The annual Hans Sennholz lecture is sponsored by the W. John & Mary Blyth Fund in Honor of Hans and Mary Sennholz