Consequential policy debates today are centered around economics, foreign policy, education, law and order, and climate science. In all of these fields, the most respected scholars tend to share premises and conclusions that American politicians, Washington policy wonks, mainstream journalists, and voters deem well to the left of respectable American opinion.* In other words, what is most respectable among the people who know the most is least respectable among the people who know the least. And our mainstream journalists, who have been tasked with serving as the bridge between the experts and the people, don’t seem to care. I consider this a problem.
*If you don’t believe me, here’s the most up-to-date consensus list of the top scholars in economics; the most up-to-date consensus list of the top scholars in international relations: the most up-to-date consensus list of the top scholars in education; the most up-to-date consensus list of the top scholars scholars in law; and the most up-to-date consensus list of the top scholars in criminology and criminal justice. There is no related list (that I know of) for climate scientists, but the names in this IPCC document add up to the top scholars in climate science. And just for kicks, here’s (what amounts to) the most up-to-date consensus list of the top scholars in my home field, American history.
