Muddling through

Last updated: Saturday, 7 December 2024

An incremental, pragmatic approach to problem-solving and policymaking, characterised by small adjustments rather than radical change. After Charles Lindblom, who developed the theory in the context of public administration in the United States.

Also: “disjointed incrementalism”.

Reflects the realities of policymaking in political systems with multiple stakeholders, conflicting interests, and imperfect information. Recognises that policymakers rarely follow the “rational-comprehensive” model of clarifying values/objectives and then exploring all the possible alternatives to find the optimal solutions; instead, they make incremental adjustments to existing policies through “successive limited comparisons” (a form of satisficing?).

By acknowledging limited control and embracing uncertainty, decision-makers may actually achieve more effective outcomes. Humility and adaptability can be more valuable than confidence and rigid planning in complex, dynamic environments.

“Successive limited comparison.”

No blank slates. Building out from the current situation step-by-step, rather than starting from scratch each time.

  • [⎈] Explore how muddling through intersects with questions of power, participation, and accountability in the policy process. Who are the relative winners or losers from an incremental approach?
  • [?] Is there an argument for muddling through as an effective, “ecologically rational” approach in complex, uncertain environments? How does this relate to debates in cognitive science and the philosophy of mind?
  • [?] What are the aesthetic, affective, and experiential dimensions of muddling through for policymakers and citizens? What does it feel like to muddle, and how does this influence actors’ perceptions and behaviours?
  • [?] What prompts departures from incrementalism and what are the risks and rewards of such shifts?

  • [?] How can we ensure accountability in a process that relies so heavily on trial and error?

  • [&] See also: bricolage? (ad hoc, improvised ways of working)
  • [&] See also: bounded rationality, punctuated equilibrium theory?

Tags: improvisation

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