Scientism and Values.pdf - Ludwig von Mises Institute

Social Science Versus the 0 bsession of UScientism" 229
usefulness or obsolescence of existing establishments, and the reform
of political and administrative machinery or the creation of
new machinery. The discussion of personalities slips easily into
emotive terms, and there is, in politics, a proper place for emotion.
Management and organizational structure, however, can be discussed
llleaning£ully only upon the identification of problems, the
assembly of relevant facts, and the analysis of possible solutions. It
is one of the most significant symptoms of the world crisis that our
knowledge of public problems is either vague or generalized. At
best, the usefulness of our institutions is assessed in impressionistic
terms and, more often than not, the stated purpose of the institution,
as, for example, the French Chamber of Deputies under the
Fourth Republic, is confused with its performance. Public interest
centers upon the generalized theory of an institution rather than
upon its reality, not to speak of its "organizational yield." Hence,
improvements are mostly guided by intuitive judgments and accomplished
by accident.
The problem of reorganization is threefold. All societies require,
although in different degrees, reorganization in order to achieve
good government under modern conditions of technological
change, economic development, demographic growth, psychological
understanding, and human freedom. Most existing social and
political organizations represent some kind of compromise between
traditional institutional concepts and the satisfaction of the
power urge. Neither the institutions nor their management satisfies
the requirements of efficient organization. Efficient organization is
not tantamount to good government. Organizational efficiencyand
political ethics are, however, interdependent variables. Good government
is a contradictio in adjectQ without consideration of purpose,
intention, and values. "Good" government seeks to maximize
the "organizational yield" of public institutions.
Secondly, the various national or subnational societies have
broken out of their historic isolation. During the last hundred
years, nations and civilizations have become increasingly interdependent.
There is little doubt that this interdependence will continue
to grow unless adverse economic and military developments
intervene. Consequently, it is necessary to find organizational