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[[Image:Technocracy_smyth.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Smyth first wrote about his ideas of Technocracy in 1919.]]

[[Image:Technocracy_smyth.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Smyth first wrote about his ideas of Technocracy in 1919.]]

A '''Technocracy''' is defined as ''a system in which people with a lot of knowledge about science or technology control a society''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/technocracy |title=technocracy: definition  |work=[[Merriam-Webster]] }}</ref>  A technocratic state, or a state controlled by engineers and expertise<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rLiGAAAAMAAJ Technocracy and the Politics of Expertise]</ref>, generally has experts secluded into unelected bureaucracies.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=NeJjEkYGF_MC&pg=PA9 The Rise of the Unelected: Democracy and the New Separation of Powers]</ref>

A '''Technocracy''' is defined as ''a system in which people with a lot of knowledge about science or technology control a society''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/technocracy |title=technocracy: definition  |work=[[Merriam-Webster]] }}</ref>  A technocratic state, or a state controlled by engineers and expertise,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rLiGAAAAMAAJ Technocracy and the Politics of Expertise]</ref> generally has experts secluded into unelected bureaucracies.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=NeJjEkYGF_MC&pg=PA9 The Rise of the Unelected: Democracy and the New Separation of Powers]</ref>  Its devotees are technocrats.

 

*[https://thenewamerican.com/alex-newman-new-world-order-global-technocracy-behind-the-deep-state/ New World Order = Global Technocracy]. ''The New American''. February 25, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.</ref>

==History==

==History==

The origins of ''Technocracy'' have been the subject of some debate, but William Henry Smyth has been generally recognized as having invented the word "technocracy" in 1919 to describe as he put it: "''the rule of the people made effective through the agency of their servants, the scientists and engineers''"<ref>{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Barry|title=Sleepers, Wake! Technology and the Future of Work|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=214}}</ref>. Smyth had [[Industrial Democracy]] in mind when he coined the term<ref>{{cite book|last=Smyth|first=William H.|title=Technocracy Parts I-IV., Working Explosively, A Protest Against Mechanistic Efficiency.  Working Explosively Versus Working Efficiently|publisher=Berkeley Gazette|quote=Technocracy Part III., "Technocracy" - Ways and Means To Gain Industrial Democracy}}</ref>.

The origins of ''Technocracy'' have been the subject of some debate, but William Henry Smyth has been generally recognized as having invented the word "technocracy" in 1919 to describe as he put it: "''the rule of the people made effective through the agency of their servants, the scientists and engineers''".<ref>{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Barry|title=Sleepers, Wake! Technology and the Future of Work|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=214}}</ref>  Smyth had [[Industrial Democracy]] in mind when he coined the term.<ref>{{cite book|last=Smyth|first=William H.|title=Technocracy Parts I-IV., Working Explosively, A Protest Against Mechanistic Efficiency.  Working Explosively Versus Working Efficiently|publisher=Berkeley Gazette|quote=Technocracy Part III., "Technocracy" - Ways and Means To Gain Industrial Democracy}}</ref>

[[Thorstein Veblen]] is also regarded to be an early father of technocracy<ref name=utopianism>[https://books.google.com/books?id=n6RabZ8t48gC&pg=PA259 Technological Utopianism in American Culture]</ref>, when he called for a ''Soviet of Technicians'' in 1921.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/engineersandpri01veblgoog ''The engineers and the price system ''], by [[Thorstein Veblen]], p. 138</ref>

[[Thorstein Veblen]] is also regarded to be an early father of technocracy,<ref name=utopianism>[https://books.google.com/books?id=n6RabZ8t48gC&pg=PA259 Technological Utopianism in American Culture]</ref> when he called for a ''Soviet of Technicians'' in 1921.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/engineersandpri01veblgoog ''The engineers and the price system ''], by [[Thorstein Veblen]], p. 138</ref>  Other influence upon the formation of ''technocracy'' include [[Edward Bellamy]] and his book [[Looking Backward]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=1kvifvNro9MC&pg=PR13 Life in a Technocracy: What it Might be Like], p. 12-13</ref>

A second group of technocrats in the 1930's, led by Howard Scott, built what was at the time known as the Technocracy Movement.<ref name=utopianism />

 

A second group of technocrats in the 1930s, led by Howard Scott and Marion King Hubbert, built what was at the time known as the Technocracy Movement.<ref name=utopianism />  One of the big topics was the "price system", and replacing it with a unit that was more measurable, such as joules or ergs.<ref name=lifeintechnocracy>[https://books.google.com/books?id=1kvifvNro9MC&pg=PA55 Life in a Technocracy: What it Might be Like]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZdflsAHqnQIC&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3 More: The Politics of Economic Growth in Postwar America]</ref>  Scott became the first Chief Engineer of the Alliance.<ref>[http://archives.library.ualberta.ca/FindingAids/Technocracy/Technocracy.html Administrative History of Technocracy Inc.]</ref>

 

There is some debate as to what is the best way to define technocracy or a technocrat.  Duncan McDonnell and Marco Valbruzzi, in examining European technocratic politicians, define a minister as a technocrat if "at the time of his/her appointment to government, he/she: has never held public office under the banner of a political party; is not a formal member of any party; and is said to possess recognized non-party political expertise which is directly relevant to the role occupied in government."<ref>[http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1475-6765.12054/abstract Defining and classifying technocrat-led and technocratic governments]</ref>

==Forerunners==

==Forerunners==

Technocracy has drawn comparison with early socialist theorists such as [[Henri de Saint-Simon]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=S8-eBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA128 Concepts of Technocracy]</ref>

Technocracy has drawn comparison with early socialist theorists such as [[Henri de Saint-Simon]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=S8-eBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA128 Concepts of Technocracy]</ref>

Similarly, the book [[Philip Dru: Administrator]] written by President [[Woodrow Wilson]]'s advisor [[Colonel House]], has a very strong technocratic construct<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PSy_AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA192&lpg=PA192 Pathology of the Elites: How the Arrogant Classes Plan to Run Your Life]</ref> with its propensity to describe the important role of expertise, bureaucracies, and quick decision.

Similarly, the book [[Philip Dru: Administrator]] was written by President [[Woodrow Wilson]]'s advisor [[Colonel House]], and has a very strong technocratic construct<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PSy_AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA192&lpg=PA192 Pathology of the Elites: How the Arrogant Classes Plan to Run Your Life]</ref> with its propensity to describe the important role of expertise, bureaucracies, and quick decision.

Alexander Bogdanov, a Russian [[Socialist]] and engineer, is considered another early advocate of technocracy.<ref>[http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/2000s/2007/no-1232-april-2007/bogdanov-technocracy-and-socialism Bogdanov, technocracy and socialism]</ref>  Bogdanov called his theory ''Tektology'' in a book titled ''Tektology: Universal Organization Science''.<ref>[http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Alexander_Bogdanov Alexander Bogdanov]</ref>

Alexander Bogdanov, a Russian [[Socialist]] and engineer, is considered another early advocate of technocracy.<ref>[http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/2000s/2007/no-1232-april-2007/bogdanov-technocracy-and-socialism Bogdanov, technocracy and socialism]</ref>  Bogdanov called his theory ''Tektology'' in a book titled ''Tektology: Universal Organization Science''.<ref>[http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Alexander_Bogdanov Alexander Bogdanov]</ref>

==Critiques==

==Critiques==

===James Burnham===

===James Burnham===

In his seminal work [[James Burnham#The Managerial Revolution|''The Managerial Revolution'']], Burnham lists ''Technocracy'' as one of four managerial ideologies alongside [[Communism]], [[Nazism]], and [[New Deal|New Dealism]].

In his seminal work [[James Burnham#The Managerial Revolution|''The Managerial Revolution'']], Burnham lists ''Technocracy'' as one of four managerial ideologies alongside [[Communism]], [[Nazism]], and [[New Deal]]ism.

===Elected and Unelected===

===Elected and Unelected===

As a political term, ''Technocracy'' tends to be a bit elastic<ref>[http://www.economist.com/node/21538698 Minds like machines -Government by experts sounds tempting, especially in a crisis. It can work. But brief stints have the best chances], [[The Economist]]</ref>, meaning that the definition of both the word and the application(s) have shifted over time.

As a political term, ''Technocracy'' tends to be a bit elastic,<ref>[https://www.economist.com/node/21538698 Minds like machines -Government by experts sounds tempting, especially in a crisis. It can work. But brief stints have the best chances], [[The Economist]]</ref> meaning that the definition of both the word and the application(s) have shifted over time.

====Elected====

====Elected====

Prime Ministers Mario Monti and Lucas Papademos have both been considered technocrats.<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-15720438 Who, What, Why: What can technocrats achieve that politicians can't?], [[BBC]]</ref>

Prime Ministers Mario Monti and Lucas Papademos have both been considered technocrats.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-15720438 Who, What, Why: What can technocrats achieve that politicians can't?], [[BBC]]</ref>

====Unelected====

====Unelected====

More often than not, technocrats exercise influence from unelected boards and bureaus, as is often seen both in the European Union<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/london/2014/08/09/invasion-of-eu-technocrats/ EU Chief: Our Work Should Not be Transparent], [[Breitbart.com]]</ref><ref>[http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2013/06/11/the-rise-of-governments-led-by-technocrats-in-europe-illustrates-the-failure-of-mainstream-political-parties/ The rise of governments led by technocrats in Europe illustrates the failure of mainstream political parties.], [[London School of Economics]]</ref> and in the United States from agencies such as the [[Environmental Protection Agency]].<ref>[http://www.nationalreview.com/article/228816/take-control-congress-bakst-cordato Take Control, Congress], [[National Review]]</ref>

More often than not, technocrats exercise influence from unelected boards and bureaus, as is often seen both in the European Union<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/london/2014/08/09/invasion-of-eu-technocrats/ EU Chief: Our Work Should Not be Transparent], [[Breitbart.com]]</ref><ref>[http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2013/06/11/the-rise-of-governments-led-by-technocrats-in-europe-illustrates-the-failure-of-mainstream-political-parties/ The rise of governments led by technocrats in Europe illustrates the failure of mainstream political parties.], [[London School of Economics]]</ref> and in the United States from agencies such as the [[Environmental Protection Agency]].<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/article/228816/take-control-congress-bakst-cordato Take Control, Congress], [[National Review]]</ref>

===Technocracy and Socialism===

===Technocracy and Socialism===

Daniel Bell, an influential sociologist<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/biography/Daniel-Bell Daniel Bell]</ref>, made a direct comparison between technocracy and early socialist theorists, particularly that of [[Henri de Saint-Simon]]. He wrote that "St. Simon's vision of industrial society, a vision of pure technocracy, was a system of planning and rational order in which society would specify its needs and organize the factors of production to achieve them."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q6_56x5tB7gC&pg=PA76|last1=Bell|first1=Daniel|year=2008|title=The Coming Of Post-industrial Society|isbn=978-0465097135}}</ref>  Bell concluded that the "administration of things" is the "hallmark of technocracy".

Daniel Bell, an influential sociologist,<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Daniel-Bell Daniel Bell]</ref> made a direct comparison between technocracy and early socialist theorists, particularly that of [[Henri de Saint-Simon]]. He wrote that "St. Simon's vision of industrial society, a vision of pure technocracy, was a system of planning and rational order in which society would specify its needs and organize the factors of production to achieve them."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q6_56x5tB7gC&pg=PA76|last1=Bell|first1=Daniel|year=2008|title=The Coming Of Post-industrial Society|isbn=978-0465097135}}</ref>  Bell concluded that the "administration of things" is the "hallmark of technocracy". [[G. D. H. Cole]] agrees with Bell, that Saint-Simon "anticipated modern notions of technocracy in his insistence on the master-function of the industrial experts and organizers".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s6UgAQAAIAAJ&q=anticipated+modern+notions+of+technocracy+in+his+insistence+on+the&dq=anticipated+modern+notions+of+technocracy+in+his+insistence+on+the&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiWiu_hn6_KAhUM6yYKHTxGDGIQ6AEIKjAD|last1=Cole|first1=George Douglas Howard|year=1962|title=A History of Socialist Thought: Socialist thought, the forerunners, 1789-1850, Volume 1|pages=49}}</ref>

 

 

In addition, [[Upton Sinclair]] was very excited<ref>Arthur M. Schlesinger (2003). [http://books.google.com/books?id=UAjls3YykzgC&pg=PA463 The Crisis of the Old Order, 1919-1933] Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, p. 463.</ref> about the coming Technocracy movement and lauded its arrival.  He wrote:

In addition, [[Upton Sinclair]] was very excited<ref>Arthur M. Schlesinger (2003). [https://books.google.com/books?id=UAjls3YykzgC&pg=PA463 The Crisis of the Old Order, 1919-1933] Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, p. 463.</ref> about the coming Technocracy movement and lauded its arrival.  He wrote:

{{cquote|Socialists have been saying pretty much the same thing for the past two generations.  But then, nobody pays much attention to us Socialists.  This time, however, it is the leading experts of the engineering profession who are speaking - the sort of people the American public looks up to.<ref name=UPI>{{cite news |title=Technocracy's Theory Lauded by Socialists |url=http://newspaperarchive.com/us/virginia/pulaski/pulaski-southwest-times/1932/12-23/ |newspaper= Pulaski Southwest Times  |date=23 December 1932}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Socialists have been saying pretty much the same thing for the past two generations.  But then, nobody pays much attention to us Socialists.  This time, however, it is the leading experts of the engineering profession who are speaking - the sort of people the American public looks up to.<ref name=UPI>{{cite news |title=Technocracy's Theory Lauded by Socialists |url=http://newspaperarchive.com/us/virginia/pulaski/pulaski-southwest-times/1932/12-23/ |newspaper= Pulaski Southwest Times  |date=23 December 1932}}</ref>}}

[[Stuart Chase]], an early member of the [[Technical Alliance]], was also an ardent [[socialist]].  Alexander Bogdanov, who advocated a system called ''Tektology'' which bears a marked resemblance to ''technocracy'', was a socialist as well.

[[Stuart Chase]], an early member of the [[Technical Alliance]], was also an ardent [[socialist]].  Alexander Bogdanov, who advocated a system called ''Tektology'' which bears a marked resemblance to ''technocracy'', was a socialist as well.

===Meritocracy or authoritarianism===

 

 

 

===Meritocracy or Authoritarianism===

Some advocates of ''technocracy'' uphold the system as a meritocracy.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=I-k0hgtaiCcC&pg=PA3 Technocracy at Work]</ref>  For elected officials, this can hold true as the voting populace would have actively made that choice and presumably a candidate's engineering or other specialization will be discussed in open debate.

Some advocates of ''technocracy'' uphold the system as a meritocracy.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=I-k0hgtaiCcC&pg=PA3 Technocracy at Work]</ref>  For elected officials, this can hold true as the voting populace would have actively made that choice and presumably a candidate's engineering or other specialization will be discussed in open debate.

But for unelected bureaucrats of a technocratic nature, meritocracy itself is undermined, and any technocratic merit will be superceded by the quagmire that the citizens are being arbitrarily dictated to.

But for unelected bureaucrats of a technocratic nature, meritocracy itself is undermined, and any technocratic merit will be superseded by the quagmire that the citizens are being arbitrarily dictated to. This has led critics to point out that technocracy is undemocratic.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=UR6Q6LugtLoC&pg=PA361 User Behavior and Technology Development: Shaping Sustainable Relations Between Consumers and Technologies], The Technocracy versus Democracy issue</ref>

 

 

 

 

==See Also==

==See also==

* [[Central planning]]

* [[Central planning]]

* [[Economic planning]]

* [[Economic planning]]

* [[Big government]]

* [[Big government]]

* [[Philip Dru: Administrator]]

* [[Philip Dru: Administrator]]

==References==

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

{{reflist|3}}

==External Links==

==External links==

* [https://archive.org/details/technocracyworki00smytrich William Henry Smyth, Technocracy Parts I-IV., Working Explosively, A Protest Against Mechanistic Efficiency.  Working Explosively Versus Working Efficiently.] at [[archive.org]]

* [https://archive.org/details/technocracyworki00smytrich William Henry Smyth, Technocracy Parts I-IV., Working Explosively, A Protest Against Mechanistic Efficiency.  Working Explosively Versus Working Efficiently.] at [[archive.org]]

* [https://archive.org/details/TechnocracyStuartChase ''Technocracy: An Interpretation''], by [[Stuart Chase]]

* [https://archive.org/details/TechnocracyStuartChase ''Technocracy: An Interpretation''], by [[Stuart Chase]]

* [https://archive.org/details/TechnocracyAndSocialism ''Technocracy and Socialism''], by [[Paul Blanshard]]

* [https://archive.org/details/TechnocracyAndSocialism ''Technocracy and Socialism''], by [[Paul Blanshard]]

[[Category:Political Terms]]

[[Category:Political Terms]][[Category:Marxism]]

[[Category:Technocracy|*]]