The Efficient Society

"The Efficient Society: Why Canada is as Close to Utopia as it Gets" is a popular book by Canadian philosopher and author Joseph Heath. First released in 2001, the book is Heath's attempt to explain why Canada 'works'. He argues that Canada's successes as a nation are largely attributable to its commitment to efficiency as a value. The book was released to positive reviews, and became a national best-seller.

Argument

Drawing on rational choice and game theory, Heath argues that a vast of array of social problems are in fact the result of prisoner's dilemmas and collective action problems. While capitalism as a means of production alleviates many of these (such as shirking), it creates many others. Government intervention in the economy can further help to relieve these collective action problems. Canadians throughout their history have shown greater tolerance for government intervention than their American counterparts, and Heath argues that it is for this reason that Canada is "as close to utopia as its gets".

Realism

Heath also clarifies the book's optimistic title, stating that it is obviously an exaggeration. He claims that "as close to utopia as it gets" may in fact not be very close at all.

See also

The Rebel Sell, co-authored by Joseph Heath