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Russ Roberts
PERMANENT LINK | SEPTEMBER 18, 2006

The Economics of Paternalism

Edward Glaeser
Hosted by Russ Roberts
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Legislators vs. Wal-Mart... The Economics of Obesity...

Economist Ed Glaeser of Harvard University talks with host Russ Roberts about the dangers of soft paternalism--various forms of government regulation that fall short of outright bans or taxes but that are meant to correct alleged flaws in the choices we make. Glaeser argues that while individuals do inevitably make mistakes, so do politicians, and the concentration of power in the hands of the few makes government "benevolence" particularly dangerous.

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  • By Ed Glaeser:
  • Definitions of soft and hard paternalism:
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    • CATEGORIES: Edward Glaeser , Happiness and Behavioral Economics , Regulation

    Posted by Russ Roberts

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