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Consensus and Reforms in the “Great Society”
Author(s) -
Etzioni Amitai
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
sociological inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1475-682X
pISSN - 0038-0245
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-682x.1970.tb00987.x
Subject(s) - polity , citizen journalism , publics , function (biology) , plan (archaeology) , process (computing) , mechanism (biology) , sociology , public relations , political science , public administration , law and economics , law , epistemology , computer science , politics , history , philosophy , archaeology , evolutionary biology , biology , operating system
One main reason the Great Society never took off was that its programs were not buttressed by a thorough bargaining process with the appropriate interests. While innovative programs can be “sold” to the voters, a consensus among the myriad interest groups and publics that comprise the American polity, such as supported federal aid to education, is vital if they are to survive. To this end, a mechanism that would function outside our relatively ineffectual representative structure, one used successfully in France, is proposed: participatory planning. Existing components of such a plan and others that would be required, such as more sophisticated social data, are outlined.