Concept and history
The term spread through an early 20th-century American movement calling for engineers to run the economy. Meynaud (1969) analysed it as experts gaining political decision power. Centeno (1993) defined it as rule by those who claim technical knowledge and assume a single correct answer, connecting it to elite theory.
Theory and evidence
Putnam (1977) surveyed elites in advanced democracies and found real technocratic attitudes that favour technical over political solutions. Radaelli (1999) showed experts' large role in EU policymaking, linked to epistemic communities. Bertsou and Caramani (2022) found substantial citizen support for expert rule in Europe.
Populism and critiques
Caramani (2017) argued that populism elevates the will of the people and technocracy elevates reason, yet both reject party government's mediation of plural interests. Fischer (1990) criticised expert rule for weakening participation and accountability, and deliberative democracy is often proposed as an alternative.
FAQ
- What is technocracy in simple terms?
- The idea that experts such as economists and engineers, not politicians, should decide policy.
- How is technocracy related to populism?
- One champions expertise and the other the people's will, but both distrust party politics.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- Meynaud, J. (1969). Technocracy (P. Barnes, Trans.). Faber and Faber. An early classic political analysis of technocracy.
- Putnam, R. D. (1977). Elite transformation in advanced industrial societies: An empirical assessment of the theory of technocracy. Comparative Political Studies, 10(3), 383–412. An empirical test of technocratic attitudes among elites.
- Fischer, F. (1990). Technocracy and the politics of expertise. Sage. A critical account of expertise and democracy.
- Centeno, M. A. (1993). The new Leviathan: The dynamics and limits of technocracy. Theory and Society, 22(3), 307–335. Defines technocracy and its limits.
- Radaelli, C. M. (1999). Technocracy in the European Union. Longman. Technocracy in EU policymaking.
- Caramani, D. (2017). Will vs. reason: The populist and technocratic forms of political representation and their critique to party government. American Political Science Review, 111(1), 54–67. Compares populism and technocracy as challenges to party government.
- Bertsou, E., & Caramani, D. (2022). People haven't had enough of experts: Technocratic attitudes among citizens in nine European democracies. American Journal of Political Science, 66(1), 5–23. Measures citizens' technocratic attitudes.