Foreign thinker
Mancur Olson
Mancur OlsonPolitical Economy and Public Choice TheoryAmerican1932–1998
Small groups often defeat large groups, because small groups usually organize better and act more effectively in pursuing their collective interests.
Life and Thought
Mancur Olson was an American economist and social science theorist best known for his analysis of collective action, interest groups, and political institutions. His famous book, *The Logic of Collective Action*, demonstrated that the existence of a common interest is not in itself sufficient for collective action to form, and that small, organized groups often prevail over large, dispersed groups. His ideas have had a broad impact on political economy, public choice theory, political sociology, and development studies.
