7 votes

The hopes and dreams of experimentalism

In opposition to the post about incrementalism, I wanted to talk about a truly revolutionary and designed based approached to a policy called experimentalism. When I was a believer in public policy, this was the final stage for which I believed a benevolent state would move towards. Incrementalism doesn't work unless you have a dictatorship or some unchanging party like in the soviet union or China. This is because incremental changes need people to agree with the degree of which to increments and need to have the shared goal to continue adding them. Also, incremental change might bring little effect on their own or even make things worse rather than just enacting what you think is the final policy. It is politically impossible in a democracy. Instead what I argue for is radical experimentalism. This is a position people of radically different ideas can take an appeal to a general audience to test their political ideas on large groups of willing participants to see what effects policy has on them after certain periods of time. Isolating variables to really see what society works best. Regardless of general political will, the evidence wins out as we test ideas in different parts of the state as they compete to see who provides the best results for people. The only thing that is required is a dedication to results based on political decision and commitment to evidence. Lastly, an acknowledgement that we must dive into the unknown to truly find some answers. A scientific approach to policy that is consistent with democratic values and structures. I find that this spirit of democratic education on a societal level is much like John Dewey would have described as really necessary for democracy to continue to function. Without a dedication to experimentalism and skepticism there is no way I see democracy working very well over time if faced with structural problems and public ignorance.

2 comments

  1. [2]
    patience_limited
    Link
    See Malka Older's Infomocracy and Ken McLeod's Fall Revolution series for stories about experimental microstates. The trick to experimentalism is always going to be that the residents of any...

    See Malka Older's Infomocracy and Ken McLeod's Fall Revolution series for stories about experimental microstates. The trick to experimentalism is always going to be that the residents of any polity must have free emigration or guaranteed external rescue to escape the humanitarian consequences of massive failure.

    2 votes
    1. DiogenesOfToronto
      Link Parent
      I agree and will do. Thanks for the suggestion.

      I agree and will do. Thanks for the suggestion.

      1 vote