technocracy is a form of government in which
science would be in control of all decision making.
scientists,
engineers and
technologists who have knowledge, expertise or skills would compose the governing body, instead of
politicians,
businessmen and
economists.[SUP]
[1][/SUP] in a technocracy, decision makers would be selected based upon how knowledgeable and skillful they are in their field.
The term technocracy was originally used to designate the application of the
scientific method to solving social problems, in counter distinction to the traditional
economic,
political or
philosophic approaches. According to the proponents of this concept, the role of money and economic values, political opinions, and moralistic control mechanisms would be eliminated altogether if and when this form of social control should ever be implemented in a continental area endowed with enough natural resources, technically trained personnel, and installed industrial equipment so as to allow for the production and distribution of physical goods and services to all continental citizens in an amount exceeding the individuals' physical ability to consume.[SUP]
[2][/SUP] in such an arrangement, concern would be given to sustainability within the resource base, instead of monetary profitability, so as to ensure continued operation of all social-industrial functions into the indefinite future.[SUP]
[2][/SUP] technical and leadership skills would be selected on the basis of specialized knowledge and performance, rather than
democratic election by those without such knowledge or skill deemed necessary.
Some uses of the word technocracy refer to a form of
meritocracy, a system where the "most qualified" and those who decide the validity of qualifications are the same people. Other applications have been described as not being an oligarchic human group of controllers, but rather administration by discipline-specific science, ostensibly without the influence of special interest groups.[SUP]
[3][/SUP] the word technocracy has also been used to indicate any kind of management or administration by specialized experts ('technocrats') in any field, not just physical science, and the adjective 'technocratic' has been used to describe governments that include non-elected
professionals at a ministerial level.[SUP]
[4][/SUP][SUP]
[5][/SUP]