We often speak of government as if it has intentions, beliefs, fears, plans, and phobias. This sounds a lot like a mind. But this impression is fundamentally misleading. “Government” is not a conscious entity with a unified apperception of the world and its own intentions. So it is worth teasing out the ways in which Continue reading

[J writes: “your co-authored commentary on “What is critical realism” would fit into chapter 1 of this book.”] Adding material on critical realism makes good sense. Continue reading

When we discuss the ontology of various aspects of the social world, we are often thinking of such things as institutions, organizations, social networks, value systems, and the like. These examples pick out features of the world that are relatively stable and functional. Where does an imperfection or dysfunction of social life like corruption fit Continue reading

Government “wants” to bring about certain outcomes: collect taxes, regulate dangerous industries, establish a code of law, provide universal public schooling. But how does the “will of government” come to be? This question seems simple, but it isn’t. There is first the large distinction between democracies and authoritarian regimes. Legislation within a democracy has one Continue reading

A fundamental problem for understanding the mechanics of government is the question of how the will and intentions of government (policies, rules, tax schemes) are conveyed from the sites of decision-making to the behavior of the actors whom these policies are meant to influence.  The familiar principal-agent problem designates precisely this complex of issues. Applying Continue reading