Title: Nudge, nudge | The Economist
Headings: Nudge, nudge
Paternalism and the English language
Nudge, nudge
Content: Mr Brooks is confused. The insidiousness of "libertarian paternalism" is not in the slippery slope from the non-coercive nudge to explicitly coercive limits on individual liberty. Rather, the problem is that, as a piece of language, "libertarian paternalism" renders difficult the ability to conceive of a principled distinction between policy that respects and policy that violates individual autonomy. But there is a distinction, and the ability to defend our liberty depends on maintaining it. There is nothing novel in the idea of policy that "gently biases the context so that you find it easier to do things you think are in your own self-interest". It's an ancient and obviously worthwhile idea. Recent discoveries in behavioural psychology have taught us a little something about the mistakes to which we are prone, and those discoveries are well worth applying to the policies of governments, corporations, cafeterias and so on. By all means, move the fruit! By all means, default workers into retirement-saving plans that ratchet up in size over time! But nothing in these discoveries has any bearing whatsoever on the meaning of "paternalism" or "libertarian".