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.

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