Study on evidence-based public policies highlights conflict between technique and values
The article “ Evidence-Based Public Policies: A Necessary Debate ”, written by Daniel Pereira Andrade, professor at the São Paulo School of Business Administration (FGV EAESP), published in the GV Executivo Magazine , critically analyzes the rise of evidence-based public policies (EBPs) in the context of far-right populist governments and the subsequent return of these practices with the change of political leadership. Andrade argues that, although EBPs are valued for their transparency and objectivity, they carry political and ethical implications that need to be analyzed carefully.
The text emphasizes that PPBEs, often presented as neutral and impartial, are in fact influenced by implicit visions of the common good. " Quantitative indicators and implementation strategies should not be seen as a transparent portrait of reality ," the author states, highlighting that "the production of numbers is based on theoretical and evaluative assumptions about what and how to measure." In this way, the indicators end up legitimizing certain worldviews and contributing to the perpetuation of specific power relations.
The professor also criticizes managerialism, an approach that emphasizes efficiency and cost-benefit as the main criteria for formulating public policies. According to him, "managerialism tacitly promotes a certain model of social order based on market society, seeking to remove it from public scrutiny through its technical positivism." By focusing exclusively on efficiency, this model ends up ignoring the value-based dimension of public policies, which can be as harmful as denialism.
To counter this view, the text proposes the repoliticization of PPBE, suggesting the incorporation of knowledge from the human sciences, such as political philosophy, ethics and sociology, into the debate on the design and evaluation of these policies. "Mobilizing other knowledge beyond the predominant economic rationality is essential to denaturalize the market model as the only possible alternative," argues Andrade.
Furthermore, the article suggests that social participation should be increased in the formulation of public policies. “Consultation with beneficiaries not only helps policies make sense in practice, but also contributes to a social form of democratic existence,” Andrade points out. Economic efficiency must be balanced with political deliberation, allowing different models of society to be discussed and evaluated democratically.
In summary, the article highlights that, although PPBEs have their value, it is crucial to recognize the political and ethical influences that permeate these policies. "Having clarity about how visions of the common good are intertwined at different levels of public policies contributes to more consequential choices and to the democratic scrutiny of decisions made", concludes Andrade, defending a more critical and inclusive approach to public policy formulation.
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