MixedThe Financial TimesHis argument is more than an attack on simple short-termism, a case frequently made by behavioral economists dismayed at human irrationality, or critics of corporate leaders unable to plan beyond their next quarterly results. Instead, Johnson is more positive, claiming a handful of institutions have \'consciously adopted strategies and routines designed to produce more farsighted results\' ... If Farsighted has a flaw, however, it is perhaps that this list is not eclectic enough. There is by now plenty of evidence that large-scale deliberative processes can help improve all manner of policies. Whether individuals can also follow such complex methods remains unclear. Johnson admits that he did not when he eventually settled on a compromise plan to move his family to California for only half of each year. Still, Johnson thinks there are still a few practical tips that can help most people make more effective decisions.
Dambisa Moyo
MixedThe Financial Times...Moyo presents a manifesto of 10 fixes to counter \'the corrosive short-termism that has beset the democratic process.\' The first eight are moderately interesting, ranging from campaign-finance reforms to electoral cycles that last longer than five years. But the final two certainly catch the eye: first introducing minimum voting requirements, for instance by requiring voters to pass a civics test; and then weighted voting, meaning a system in which those judged to be more qualified would see their votes count for more than those who do not ... At one level, these ideas arrive as something of a relief, for without them Edge of Chaos would be a surprisingly dull affair ... Moyo is also vague on exactly how her proposals would work ... All of this is a shame, because there is much in Moyo’s case that is defensible. Liberal democracies clearly are in a funk. Global growth has been slower after the financial crisis than before it ... Yet the answer to these problems of short-termism are unlikely to be found by introducing divisive voting reforms that would hurt the interests of those who already feel voiceless.
Kurt Campbell
MixedThe Financial TimesCampbell’s persuasive book suffers two flaws. First, he largely ducks the question of how tough America should be on China if it continues to thumb its nose at international rules — for instance by building more islands in the South China Sea. Second, he does not look in any great depth at how his various diplomatic manoeuvrings might appear from Beijing, which suspects America of plotting to stymie its rise.
