Prof. Bryan Caplan

bcaplan@gmu.edu

http://www.bcaplan.com

Econ 854

HW #4 (please type; answers should be 2 pages, double-spaced)

Answer any THREE questions!

1. Meet two of Tullock�s challenges: (a) Tell me what�s so bad about dictatorship. (b) Give me one good reason not to invade Brazil.

2. What is the social function of totalitarian ideology (e.g. Leninism, Nazism, Mao Zedong Thought)?� How does it compare to mundane voter irrationality in non-totalitarian societies?� Do totalitarian elites sincerely believe it?� Can it help sustain totalitarian rule if no one believes it?� Carefully explain your answer.

3. Reformulate the traditional public choice case for constitutional reform to deal with the �endogenous institutions� criticism.� Suggest a specific constitutional amendment that would significantly mitigate a major political failure and realistically attain �quasi-unanimous� support.

4. Robin Hanson�s favorite slogan is �FWST� � �Futarchy would solve this.�� Present an important political failure and carefully explain how futarchy would solve it.� How would critics respond?� How would Hanson respond to the critics?� Who�s right?

5. Compare Cowen's argument against anarcho-capitalism to the standard critiques addressed by Friedman and Rothbard.

6. If viable seasteads were established in the next two decades, how would existing states deal with them?� Is there any reason to expect seasteading to be more successful than other �start your own country� projects?� Why or why not?