Public Choice

This book offers students of politics and sociology a non-technical explanation of public choice in theory and practice, examining its intellectual roots in games theory, cooperation and collective choice. As groups of people will not always voluntarily cooperate to achieve valued goals, some form of government is necessary to provide such benefits as defence or clean air. But the provision of government is itself a public good. McLean considers the roles and actions of those who shape governments' choices to furnish the goods - entrepreneurs, lobbyists, bureaucrats, political coalitions and interest groups - as well as the importance of the voters and consumers who keep governments in power.