Bryan Caplan - Feminists, Billionaires, and Demagogues

Redefine feminism around perceived unfairness, not abstract equality.

Caplan argues that mainstream dictionary definitions (women should be equal to men) don’t match common usage: most non-feminists already endorse equality, so what actually distinguishes feminists is the belief that society treats women less fairly than men.

Prioritize meritocracy over demographic targets to avoid slippery slopes.

He maintains that once institutions start biasing selection toward group representation rather than individual merit, incentives and standards slide, and it becomes hard to stop ever-expanding demands for preferential treatment.

Account for global gender injustice, not just Western grievances.

Caplan holds that feminism is far more true in places like Saudi Arabia, India, and China (e. ...

Recognize how accusations and hypersensitivity can backfire on women.

He argues that a culture of exaggerated or false accusations (e. ...

Treat open borders as a massive, realistic poverty-reduction lever.

Using wage differences between poor and rich countries, Caplan claims moving workers (rather than aid) could add hundreds of trillions in global wealth this century; Poland’s rapid, large-scale absorption of Ukrainian refugees is his real-world example that high inflows are manageable with the right rules.

View education mainly as wasteful signaling and resist loan forgiveness.

He contends most schooling is socially inefficient credential inflation, and that forgiving student loans simply shifts costs from relatively privileged graduates to the general public while encouraging more over-education and higher tuition.

Don’t over-credit interest groups; public opinion drives most policy.

Contrary to Mancur Olson-style theories, Caplan thinks voters’ biases explain most large, visible policies (like farm subsidies or immigration limits), while interest groups mostly tweak technical details rather than overturn popular sentiment.