Skip to main content
Log in

Libertarian Paternalism: Leviathan in Sheep’s Clothing?

Society Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 08 May 2014

Abstract

Contrary to the views of some libertarians, “libertarian paternalism” is not an oxymoron. But are its two most prominent advocates, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, really libertarian paternalists or are they paternalists in sheep’s clothing? Thaler seems to be somewhat of a libertarian paternalist whereas Sunstein appears to be more of a straight coercive paternalist. But even Thaler passes up major chances to advocate reducing straight paternalism by making it more libertarian. Those who favor freedom should not reject the concept of libertarian paternalism altogether. Instead they should apply the concept more consistently than Thaler and Sunstein have doneand use it to push for a less coercive government. Indeed, the fact that government officials who plan our lives also have human foibles argues for less government, not true.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein, “Libertarian Paternalism,” American Economic Review, Vol. 93, No. 2 (2003): 175–179.

  2. Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein, Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008.

  3. For a numerate look at the small risk posed by terrorism, see John Mueller, “A False Sense of Insecurity,” Regulation, Fall 2004, Vol. 27, No. 3: 42–46.

  4. Brigitte C. Madrian and Dennis F. Shea, “The Power of Suggestion: Intertia in 401(k) Participation and Savings Behavior,” Quarterly Journal of Economics 116 (2001): 1149–1225.

  5. See “Federal Insurance Contributions Act Tax,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Insurance_Contributions_Act_tax

  6. Cass R. Sunstein. Simpler: The Future of Government. New York: Simon & Schuster. 2013.

  7. Simpler, p. 92.

  8. Simpler, p. 191.

  9. Simpler, p. 132.

  10. Actually, it is more than a hunch. When I visit Canada every summer, where the government requires such graphic warnings, my smoking friends tell me that they no not like the packages.

  11. Simpler, p. 90.

  12. “Cass Sunstein once considered a “Fairness Doctrine” of sorts for the Internet, but then thought better of it.” Politifact.com, April 27, 2009. Available at: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/may/05/chain-email/cass-sunstein-once-considered-fairnes-doctrine-sor/

  13. Don Boudreaux, “Stop Nudging Me,” Café Hayek, August 9, 2013. Available at: http://cafehayek.com/2013/08/stop-nudging-me.html

  14. FICA, of course, stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act, the law under which Social Security taxes are collected.

  15. Bryan Caplan, “Nudge, Policy, and the Endowment Affect,” Econlog, July 31, 2013. Available at: http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2013/07/nudge_policy_an.html

  16. Simpler, pp. 127–146.

  17. Friedrich Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1960, p. 179.

  18. Don Boudreaux, “F.A. ‘Kahneman’ Hayek,” Café Hayek, September 28, 2013. Available at: http://cafehayek.com/2013/09/f-a-kahneman-hayek.html

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David R. Henderson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Henderson, D.R. Libertarian Paternalism: Leviathan in Sheep’s Clothing?. Soc 51, 268–273 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-014-9775-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-014-9775-0

Keywords

Navigation