Most citizens seem underinformed about politics. Many experts claim that only well-informed citizens can make good political decisions. Is this claim correct? In The Democratic Dilemma, Professors Lupia and McCubbins combine insights from political science, economics and the cognitive sciences to explain how citizens gather and use information. They show when citizens who lack information can (and cannot) make the same decisions they would have made if better informed. As a result, they clarify the debate about citizen competence.

Theory of politics that integrates insights from political science, public opinion, economics, psychology and cognitive science

Specific about when limited information does and does not prevent reasoned choice

Employs formal models of learning and choice, lab experiments on persuasion and delegation, public opinion surveys, and case studies