technocratic

Technocratic is an adjective describing governance, administration, or policy approaches that emphasize technical expertise, scientific data, and professional judgment over electoral politics or popular mandate. It denotes decision making guided by engineers, scientists, economists, and other specialists, with an emphasis on efficiency, evidence, and standardized metrics.

Originating in discussions of technocracy in the early 20th century, particularly during the 1930s in the United States, technocratic ideas advocated replacing or augmenting traditional political leadership with experts who could manage the economy and public affairs based on system-wide analysis. Over time, the term has broadened beyond its original movement to describe policies, institutions, or leaders perceived as prioritizing expertise and quantitative assessment.

Applications can appear in various forms. Governments may appoint technocratic cabinets or policy institutes to handle crises, long-term planning, or technical regulation. In public administration, technocratic approaches are common in planning agencies, regulatory bodies, central banks, and statistical offices, where decisions rely on data, models, and performance indicators rather than partisan considerations alone.

Critics of technocratic governance caution that it can raise questions of democratic legitimacy and accountability, potentially concentrating power in non-elected experts. They argue that technical solutions may overlook social values, equity, and ethical trade-offs, and that expertise is not value-free or universally applicable. Proponents counter that expert-led decision making can improve efficiency, consistency, and long-term outcomes in complex systems.

See also: technocracy, technocrat, meritocracy, policy analysis.