Policy beyond evidence

Jean Drèze

World Development, 2020, vol. 127, issue C

Abstract: The road from evidence to policy is longer than the telescopic expression ‘evidence-based policy’ tends to convey. Evidence is a scientific matter, policy is a political decision. Evidence can certainly inform policy, but sound policy requires at least three further ingredients: understanding, values and deliberation. Understanding can build not only on evidence (including RCTs) but also on other sources of enlightenment. Value judgements are essential to assess alternative policy options. And deliberation may be required to resolve possible differences in understanding and values among the concerned actors. Ideally, the quest for evidence should be part a larger effort to bring about sound policies through democratic processes. Economists have a role in this collective effort, but so do many others.

Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:127:y:2020:i:c:s0305750x19304462

DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.104797

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