In Private Truths, Public Lies: The Social Consequences of Preference Falsification, Timur Kuran argues that lying about one’s wants under perceived social pressures is a ubiquitous and important phenomenon. Kuran’s theory is enhanced by a wealth of illuminating examples, especially his analyses of the abrupt collapse of Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the centuries-long persistence of the Indian caste system, and the scarcity of open opposition to affirmative action in the United States.

Loren E. Lomasky is the Cory Professor of Political Philosophy, Policy and Law at the University of Virginia.
Civil RightsCulture and SocietyDemocracyEconomistsEconomyLaw and LibertyPhilosophy and ReligionPublic ChoiceRace IssuesSocialism, Communism, and Collectivism
Other Independent Review articles by Loren E. Lomasky
Summer 2016 Fleecing the Young
Winter 2015/16 The End of Socialism
Spring 2009 Wealth and Poverty in the Liberal Tradition
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