The Evolutionary Limits Of Liberalism: Democratic Problems, Market Solutions And The Ethics Of Preference Satisfaction

Description

This book assesses the evolutionary sustainability of liberalism. The book’s central claim is that liberal institutions ultimately weaken their social groups in the evolutionary process of inter-group competition. In this sense, institutions relying on the liberal satisfaction of preferences reveal maladaptive tendencies. Based on the model of multilevel selection, this work appraises the capacity of liberal democracy and free markets to satisfy preferences. In particular, the book re-evaluates public choice theory’s classic postulate that free markets are a suitable alternative to the shortcomings of western liberal democracies regarding preference satisfaction. Yet, the book concludes that free markets are not a solution to the problems of liberal democracy because both market and democratic liberal institutions rest on the liberal satisfaction of preferences, an ethic which hurts group evolutionary fitness. This volume is of interest to political theorists, evolutionary ethicists, political economists and to general readers interested in the future of liberalism. Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Introduction (Filipe Nobre Faria)....Pages 1-13 From Public Choice to Evolutionary Theory (Filipe Nobre Faria)....Pages 15-50 Public Choice Theory: Liberal Democracy’s Shortcomings and Their Institutional Market-Enhancing Solutions (Filipe Nobre Faria)....Pages 51-98 The Evolutionary Framework: Multilevel Selection, Morality and Preferences (Filipe Nobre Faria)....Pages 99-144 Reassessing Liberal Democracy’s Shortcomings and Their Institutional Market-Enhancing Solutions (Filipe Nobre Faria)....Pages 145-193 The Market: Evolutionary Limits and Possibilities (Filipe Nobre Faria)....Pages 195-227 Conclusion (Filipe Nobre Faria)....Pages 229-235 Back Matter ....Pages 237-239