Science and the Allocation of Resources

Abstract

Until World War II, there was no general theory on the relations between government and science that could be considered a national science policy. Federal policy was largely instrumental and mission-oriented, allocating resources for rather closely defined technological or social purposes. In the mid-1960s, there arose a disposition to examine the federal research and development effort as a single coherent activity, resulting in increased demands for the planning of science. This resulted in the creation of new federal agencies concerned with techniques or areas of science and technologies rather than social goals or missions. Both the mission- and the science-oriented approach have advantages and disadvantages, but the tension between the 2 serves as a creative force in society.
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