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    Ep. 121: Public Choice Theory

    Ep. 121: Public Choice Theory

    FromThe Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma

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    Ep. 121: Public Choice Theory

    FromThe Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma

    ratings:
    Length:
    62 minutes
    Released:
    May 20, 2019
    Format:
    Podcast episode

    Description

    Governments consist of people, and people respond to incentives. For this reason, there is no better way to understand government than through the tools of economics. Episode 121 of The Seen and the Unseen is a rerun of an old episode of The Pragati Podcast, in which Amit Varma introduces Pavan Srinath to the mindblowing insights of Public Choice Theory. Also check out: What Does It Mean to Be Libertarian? -- ep 64 of The Seen and the Unseen Public Choice: A Primer -- Eomonn Butler Politics Without Romance -- Amit Varma's monthly column on Public Choice for Bloomberg Quint Parkinson's Law -- C Northcote Parkinson The Calculus of Consent -- James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock Bureaucracy and Public Economics -- William A Niskanen Urban Governance in India -- ep 31 of The Seen and the Unseen Restaurant Regulations in India -- ep 18 of The Seen and the Unseen Of Endings and Beginnings -- Amit Varma's goodbye editorial for Pragati
    Released:
    May 20, 2019
    Format:
    Podcast episode

    Titles in the series (100)

    All public policies -- indeed, all actions by humans -- have two kinds of effects: the effects that are intended, and visible; and unintended consequences, which are invisible. The Seen and the Unseen is a podcast that aims to examine both the seen and the unseen effects of our actions. Presented by Amit Varma (a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, and winner of the prestigious Bastiat Prize for journalism in 2007 and 2015 -- the only person to win it twice), the show takes on a specific public policy in every episode, and dissects its seen and unseen effects. For example: the ban on surge pricing by Uber in Delhi. What is seen is that Uber no longer costs so much; what is unseen is that you cannot get an Uber at all, because of the scarcity that is a direct result of the price control. The host explains the economic reasoning at work, and talks to an expert who breaks it down further. The host will have a panel of experts at his disposal, from a variety of disciplines, and will speak to a relevant expert in every episode. Subjects covered will range from broad ones like the state of education in India, to narrower ones like the banning of 'victimless crimes' like prostitution and gambling.