Table of Contents

Part I. Medicine Worse than Disease? Against Compulsory Voting Jason Brennan: 1. The heavy burden of proof; 2. Democratic legitimacy and the consequences of compulsion; 3. Do your share or else; 4. Should we force the drunk to drive? Part II. Compulsory Voting Defended Lisa Hill: 5. Compulsory voting: background, effects, feasibility and basic premises; 6. Turnout, abstention, and democratic legitimacy; 7. Is compulsory voting an unjustified burden on personal autonomy? Is there a right not to vote?; 8. Is requiring people to vote contrary to democratic values?; 9. Conclusion.

Promotional Information

Leading political theorists Jason Brennan and Lisa Hill debate the drawbacks and benefits of voter turnout.

Reviews

'The frustrating thing about arguments over citizenship in democracies is that everyone is right, meaning that everyone is also wrong. There are powerful arguments in favor of asking citizens to act on a moral obligation to become informed, so as to move toward an ideal world. In that view, argued ably here by Jason Brennan, anyone who fails to become informed should voluntarily abstain. Lisa Hill argues that Brennan has it backwards: 'good' elections are not the result of an informed citizenry. Rather, a broadly accepted electoral process, legitimated by universal participation, is what creates an informed citizenry. Who is right? An extraordinary and very fair-minded treatment of significant issues in democracy around the world.' Michael Munger, Duke University, North Carolina

'Should the government force citizens to vote? Brennan and Hill's Compulsory Voting crisply presents the strongest case in favor as well as the strongest case against mandatory participation in the electoral process. Although the two authors defend opposite conclusions, both show that philosophy is better with careful social science - and that social science is better with careful philosophy. A book full of ideas, clarity, and candor.' Bryan D. Caplan, George Mason University

'Jason Brennan and Lisa Hill have performed a valuable service by brilliantly analyzing and critiquing the many arguments for and against compulsory voting, ranging from the most obvious to those that are counterintuitive and obscure. An original, readily accessible contribution to the scholarly literature.' Ilya Somin, George Mason University