Publications

Simpler

Type
Link
Cost
Paid
Published
2013
Updated
2014
Full Name
Simpler: The Future of Government

For Americans, the future of government arrived in 2009. The government became simpler, it became smarter. Cass Sunstein, America’s “Regulatory Czar” under President Barack Obama, was at the center of it all. Drawing on state-of-the-artwork in behavioral psychology and economics, Sunstein helped save the country more than $91 billion and an unknown number of lives. In Simpler, Sunstein speaks for the first time about what he encountered and accomplished in the Obama Administration and what the lessons are for everyone going forward.

Praise for Simpler


"This lays out a new vision for how research from academics and attention from the public can be used to make regulations and government work better and simpler—to protect the public at the lowest possible cost and hassle. No wonder Glenn Beck said Sunstein was the most dangerous man in America."

Dr. Austan Goolsbee, former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers


"In this book, Cass Sunstein shows how he helped President Obama use the smartest academic ideas to undertake the most important reform of our regulatory system in more than three decades. Simple is a must and fun read for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of how the government is using the insights from the seminal research by Sunstein and others to make our lives healthier, safer, and more prosperous."

Michael Greenstone, 3M Professor of Environmental Economics at MIT, Department of Economics


"This may be the most important book to come out of President Obama's first term. Sunstein found ingenious ways to protect citizens and nudge corporate behavior while maximizing freedom and business opportunity. Simpler is a fascinating guide to how behavioral economics is improving government, and none too soon."

Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Steve Jobs


"This fantastic book restored my faith in what governments really do, and more importantly in what a smart government could do to help citizens live better, more fulfilled lives."

Dr. Esther Duflo, Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Analysis at Massachusetts Institute of Economics


"Everyone complains that government regulations are often dumb, but how could you make them smarter? Here's a guidebook by someone who did it. It should be read by everyone who sets policies for government, nonprofits, education, or business."

Chip Heath, co-author of Decisive: How to Make Better Decisions in Life and Work


"This inspiring book has a tale and a lesson. In the tale, a thinker with a passion for reason moves from the ivory tower to the White House and becomes a doer. The lesson is that regulation is not a dirty word and that thoughtful government works."

Daniel Kahneman, bestselling author of Thinking, Fast and Slow


"We typically don't associate the idea of simple systems with government and large corporations. But in this fine book, Sunstein provides a glimpse into how we can tame the complexity beast and why it is important, even necessary if we want to improve our collective welfare."

Dan Ariely, bestselling author of Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape our Decisions