Bryan Caplan
contemporaryLibertarianism / Public Choice Theoryb. 1971
Bryan Caplan (born 1971) is an American economist and libertarian public intellectual at George Mason University known for applying public choice theory and behavioral economics to political philosophy. He argues that voter irrationality—not ignorance—explains poor democratic outcomes, and has made influential contributions to debates on immigration, education, and the limits of government intervention. His work bridges economics and philosophy, often challenging mainstream assumptions about the rationality of collective institutions.
Notable Achievements
1
Developed the 'rational irrationality' thesis explaining systematic voter bias in The Myth of the Rational Voter (2007)
2
Authored The Case Against Education (2018), arguing most educational value is credential signaling rather than human capital
3
Co-authored Open Borders (2019), a philosophical and empirical defense of free immigration
4
Contributed selfish altruism and parenting theory in Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids (2011)
5
Long-running contributor to EconLog, advancing libertarian and anarcho-capitalist ideas to broad audiences