Abstract:
One of the most important functions of the discipline of economics is to provide a rational basis for policy making. The role of evidence is at the heart of this, yet the scientific approach to social matters may also blind us to fundamental normative issues that must be faced before we can answer the question: ‘Does this policy make us better off?’ This paper first outlines the background to ‘evidence-based’ or ‘evidence-informed’ policy, sometimes called ‘what works’, and then suggests a simple framework for policy analysis that highlights the points at which research-based evidence may, could, or should have an impact. The framework may also be adapted to provide a basis for a critique of existing social policy.