TOK Topics

“Some philosophers argue that self-interested voting is always wrong and that we should vote instead for what we see as best for society as a whole (the “common good”). There may be cases where my self-interest happens to coincide with the common good. A tax cut or a minimum wage from which I profit may be good for the economy as a whole. But it’s naïve to think that’s true of every tax deduction and credit that serves a personal or corporate self-interest. It’s tempting, therefore, to think that I’m wrong to vote my self-interest when it’s opposed to the common good.”