Effective Citizenship: How We Can Make the World Better and Why We Don't

In Effective Citizenship, Jonathan Baron explores how bad government is supported by citizen's preferences, and how individuals can use their limited political influence to maximize positive outcomes. He proposes three social norms that could lead to more effective citizenship: concern for the whole world (cosmopolitanism), reluctance to impose idiosyncratic moral views on others (anti-moralism), and actively open-minded thinking (AOT). Further, Baron argues that political participation--such as voting--can be more beneficial than charity or ethical consumption. He draws on psychological research on how people think about voting, as well as moral and political philosophy, defending a realistic version of utilitarian theory, and trying to explain departures from it in people's reasoning. Concluding with discussions of a utilitarian approach to general policy questions such as redistribution and cooperation, this book seeks to reframe citizenship as a central avenue for effective altruism and social change.