ABSTRACT

Recently democratic theory has benefited substantially from the systematic application of concepts, theories, and techniques from economics. In particular, theories of the electoral process in a democracy have been the subject of this style of analysis and have caused many of the traditional assumptions of democratic theory to be rethought. This chapter builds on some of these economic concepts and theories and demonstrates why it is generally irrational for most individuals to vote. It examines some of the underexplored implications of this condition, and then offers a partial solution to the dilemma it poses for democratic theory. There are at least two sets of costs which must be considered, the cost of the act of voting itself and information costs (i.e., the costs involved in becoming informed and undertaking the process of comparison and decision).