An Economic Theory of Democracy

Downs uses the variable U to describe a voter’s “utility income,” which may represent either a material or ideational good. What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of using a single-metric approach?

Why do you think does Part 1 include an assumption of perfect information, if the rest of the book abandons it? How does it contribute to your understanding of the theory?

Do you accept Downs’s conclusion that office-seekers only care about their private benefits, and see the public benefit as nothing but a means to that end? Use real-world examples to argue for or against altruism in public life.