Uploaded July 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Dr. Bobbi Herzberg gives an introduction to public choice theory, and explains why James Buchanan famously called it “politics without romance.” Dr. Herzberg describes how public choice theory revolutionized thinking about social decision-making by explaining how self-interest operates in the public arena. By making more realistic assumptions about human motivation, public choice scholarship facilitates better institutional design and policy-making.
This lecture was part of the online IHS summer seminar, “The Classical Liberal Tradition,” which took place June 16-21, 2020. To watch other lectures from this seminar, see our playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNeQlRoOOIMkHbv4SPTN8nF5U3_uYSYTr
Dr. Bobbi Herzberg is a Distinguished Senior Fellow for the F. A. Hayek Program in Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She formerly held a faculty position in political science at Utah State University (USU), where she served as department head in political science, and administrative director of The Institute of Political Economy. She served as president of the Public Choice Society from 2014-2016. Dr. Herzberg received her Ph.D. in political economy from Washington University in St. Louis. She writes and speaks regularly on public policy, public choice, institutional analysis, and the Bloomington School.
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The Institute for Humane Studies supports and partners with professors to promote the teaching and research of classical liberal ideas and to advance higher education’s core purpose of intellectual discovery and human progress. About Us: theihs.org/who-we-are
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Dr. Bobbi Herzberg gives an introduction to public choice theory, and explains why James Buchanan famously called it “politics without romance.” Dr. Herzberg describes how public choice theory revolutionized thinking about social decision-making by explaining how self-interest operates in the public arena. By making more realistic assumptions about human motivation, public choice scholarship facilitates better institutional design and policy-making.
This lecture was part of the online IHS summer seminar, “The Classical Liberal Tradition,” which took place June 16-21, 2020. To watch other lectures from this seminar, see our playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNeQlRoOOIMkHbv4SPTN8nF5U3_uYSYTr
Dr. Bobbi Herzberg is a Distinguished Senior Fellow for the F. A. Hayek Program in Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She formerly held a faculty position in political science at Utah State University (USU), where she served as department head in political science, and administrative director of The Institute of Political Economy. She served as president of the Public Choice Society from 2014-2016. Dr. Herzberg received her Ph.D. in political economy from Washington University in St. Louis. She writes and speaks regularly on public policy, public choice, institutional analysis, and the Bloomington School.
Subscribe to our channel to see upcoming videos: youtube.com/c/TheIHSorg?sub_confirmation=1
The Institute for Humane Studies supports and partners with professors to promote the teaching and research of classical liberal ideas and to advance higher education’s core purpose of intellectual discovery and human progress. About Us: theihs.org/who-we-are
Twitter: twitter.com/theihs?lang=en
Facebook: facebook.com/InstituteforHumaneStudies
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/instituteforhumanestudies
Instagram: instagram.com/theihs
