Modernism is the belief in a world that can be understood in objectiveterms and controlled as such. Even though it is commonly understoodto be a naïve worldview, public administration theorists... Show moreModernism is the belief in a world that can be understood in objectiveterms and controlled as such. Even though it is commonly understoodto be a naïve worldview, public administration theorists believe it to still aptly describe the modus operandi of modern states—albeit in more subtle forms. This raises the question whether that makes civil servants naïve modernists, or whether theories of the modernist state are over-simplifying government practice. This study explores this question by means of interviews with civil servants involved in decision-making processes on infrastructure investments. It finds that modernist norms do not describe an actual practice, but reflect the language used to legitimize apractice in which policy makers are driven by a desire to act rather than objective knowledge about the world. Consequently, the study argues that the question we should be asking ourselves is not why states still operate according to modernist principles, but why civil servants legitimize their practice with a set of norms that does not seem to describe it. Show less
ENG: In 1973 political freedom was suspended in Chile giving way to an authoritarian regime which sought to install a new political and so- cioeconomic order. For this purpose, new legal standards... Show moreENG: In 1973 political freedom was suspended in Chile giving way to an authoritarian regime which sought to install a new political and so- cioeconomic order. For this purpose, new legal standards were established as well as a series of economic reforms carried out by a group of neoliberal technocrats known as Chicago Boys. This paper presents the main characte- ristics of technocratic rationality, as well as its relationship with authoritarianism and neo- liberalism. Specifically, it is justified through primary sources why the Chicago Boys are technocrats, as well as what are the particu- lar properties of neoliberal technocracy. The hypothesis is that the neoliberal and traditio- nal technocracy have different characteristics to each other, especially when it is analyzed the role that the expert has when planning society.SPA: En 1973 la libertad política fue suspendida en Chile abriendo paso a un régimen autoritario que buscó instalar un nuevo orden político y socioeconómico. Para ello, se establecieron nuevas normas jurídicas y una serie de reformas económicas a cargo de un grupo de tecnócratas neoliberales conocidos como Chicago Boys. Este artículo expone las principales características de la racionalidad tecnocrática, así como la relación de ésta con el autoritarismo y el neoliberalismo. En particular, se justifica mediante fuentes primarias porqué los Chicago Boys son tecnócratas, así como cuáles son las propiedades particulares de la tecnocracia neoliberal. La hipótesis es que la tecnocracia neoliberal y tradicional poseen características distintas entre sí, sobre todo cuando es analizado el papel que elexperto desempeña al planificar la sociedad. Show less
Since the early 1960s, Chilean history has been characterised by the implementation of widely different political projects. Despite the ideological differences between them, these projects have... Show moreSince the early 1960s, Chilean history has been characterised by the implementation of widely different political projects. Despite the ideological differences between them, these projects have shared a strong orientation towards modernity and odernisation. All of them have been focused on making Chile a ‘modern country’ in a relatively short period of time, based on different interpretations of what modernity is. These projects have been labelled the ‘Revolution in Liberty’ (1964-1970), he ‘Chilean Road to Socialism’ (1970-1973), he ‘Silent Revolution’ (1973-1990), and more recently ‘Growth with Equity’ (1990-2006). This study shows that these projects share key characteristics in their conception and implementation. They have all been based on modernising doctrines and economic development theories, and have focused on the state, technocracy, and state planning as the main motors for modernisation. As a result of their competition and interaction, these projects have left lasting legacies, which have crystallised into particularly stable patterns of modernity. Show less
