Wayne Leighton and Ed Lopez present in Madmen, Intellectuals and Academic Scribblers an interesting interpretation of the dynamic of regulations. Beginning with a clear fast forward history of philosophy they set the ground to present their model. Overall the book builds on Public Choice ideas adding the perspective of the entrepreneur of ideas. Contrary to common belief that ideas change only through crisis and revolutions, Leighton and Lopez explain the role of the Entrepreneurs of Ideas. If institutions are sound there is no need to revolutions, just a dynamic that resembles the spontaneous order in a market of ideas.
Each one of the roles act at different levels in society affecting the probabilities of ideas to win in the market. Each actor adequate the message to a different audience from the one who generate the ideas to the people who vote for them in the democratic game.
The book left me thinking on what was behind the scenes of current policies and regulations, and what new ones are in the making.
