Passwords to power : a public rationale for expert influence on central government policy-making : British scientists and economists. c.1900-c.1925
The aim of the study is to explore and compare the rhetoric produced for public consumption by British scientists and economists in the period from c. 1900 to c. 1925, which was aimed at securing executive influence over government policy-making for these expert groups. I argue that members of each group followed characteristic strategies and produced distinctive rhetorics, but that they shared a common aim: the formalisation of influence over policy. I am testing the hypothesis, first put forward by Frank Turner in relation to natural scientists that a new type of public scientific rhetoric emerged from circa 1870 and was voiced by a sizeable minority of scientists in the Edwardian period. The key feature of this new rhetoric (which Turner dubs 'Public Science') was a call for scientists to be involved in government policy-making, on the basis of the transferability of scientific method to the areas covered by policy problems. I apply this model to scientists and to economists beyond the period initially considered by Turner. I argue that important sections of the economic and scientific communities actively pursued executive influence over policy in this period. I trace the course of the public arguments
Hull, Andrew J.
HB Economic Theory ; JN101 Great Britain
Passwords to power : a public rationale for expert influence on central government policy-making : British scientists and economists. c.1900-c.1925. The aim of the study is to explore and compare the rhetoric produced for public consumption by British scientists and economists in the period from c. 1900 to c. 1925, which was aimed at securing executive influence over government policy-making for these expert groups. I argue that members of each group followed characteristic strategies and produced distinctive rhetorics, but that they shared a common aim: the formalisation of influence over policy. I am testing the hypothesis, first put forward by Frank Turner in relation to natural scientists that a new type of public scientific rhetoric emerged from circa 1870 and was voiced by a sizeable minority of scientists in the Edwardian period. The key feature of this new rhetoric (which Turner dubs 'Public Science') was a call for scientists to be involved in government policy-making, on the basis of the transferability of scientific method to the areas covered by policy problems. I apply this model to scientists and to economists beyond the period initially considered by Turner. I argue that important sections of the economic and scientific communities actively pursued executive influence over policy in this period. I trace the course of the public arguments
power public rationale expert influence central_government policy_making british scientist economist aim_study explore compare rhetoric produce public consumption british scientist economist period aim secure executive influence government_policy making expert group argue member group follow characteristic strategy produce distinctive rhetoric share_common aim formalisation influence policy test_hypothesis first put_forward relation natural scientist new_type public scientific rhetoric emerge circa voice sizeable minority scientist edwardian period key_feature new rhetoric dub public science call scientist involved government_policy making basis scientific_method area_cover policy problem apply model scientist economist beyond period initially consider argue important section economic scientific_community actively pursue executive influence policy period trace course public argument