The Becker-Posner blog is a delight, something I have come to appreciate even more after my eldest daughter started studying international politics and economy and Dad needs access to rapid and pointed analysis to hold his own around the dinner table.

Their latest discussion is about leftism in South and Latin America, with Becker starting and Posner adding a few points, primarily about the cultural and even religious angle.

I particularly liked Posner’s take on how democracy works:

Democracy is not a deliberative process (as many academics believe), in the sense that voters examine and discuss issues and so formulate a thoughtful, knowledgeable opinion on what policies are right for the nation or for them. Voters have neither the time, the education, nor the inclination for such an activity, as intellectuals imagine. All they know is results. So if the Right fails to deliver on its promises, the Left takes over, whether or not it has better or even different policies.

Blogging is a conversation, and Becker and Posner’s conversations are better than most.