‘Realism’ in Policy Espousal

Economists in general have learned to live under the recurring charge that they are ‘unrealistic’. The term may, of course, mean many things. Where the meaning applies to what they do strictly as ‘scientists,’ the barbs need not go deep. Against such slings and arrows there hangs ready a familiar armor — namely, the prestige of scientific method, made magically tough by having clothed also those heroes of the battle for knowledge, the natural scientists. Not always are economists content, however, to remain ‘scientists’ describing relationships and eschewing reference to the desirability of things, or even to remain ‘engineers’ suggesting devices to achieve ends laid before them entirely by others. They do step out of these rôles and give their society, or some sector of it, advice which commits the adviser to responsibility for value judgments.2 They do ‘take positions’ and act as advisers in a full sense. In this rôle too they are often faced with the charge of being ‘unrealistic’.