Technocracy in the Executive: Diffusion of Technocratic Governments in Contemporary Europe

This paper aims to show that technocracy is neither a complex nor a multidimensional concept. It discusses the possibility for future research based on the analyses and the conceptualizations/operationalizations of technocracy put forward. The concept of technocracy can be applied to different political regimes. In other words, technocracy as a type of cabinet can occur in a democratic as well as in a non-democratic setting. Technocracy as a mode of governance describes a situation in which the process of decision making tends to be progressively depoliticized by enlarging the domain of impartial, value-neutral solutions and the influence of experts or non-political authorities over party politicians and partisan institutions. Technocracy is neither a form of government nor a mode of governance, but it takes into consideration the general attitudes of political authorities or the general community. European governments remain, overwhelming and especially in West European countries, duly-mandated party governments.