This chapter focuses on the development of policy analysis tools, mostly policy evaluation and assessment. Spain has a fairly long tradition – albeit not a continuous one – of policy evaluation, starting in the late 18th century, but it has undergone important institutional shifts and setbacks, which reflect major political conflicts. Up until the mid-19th century the major contributions to designing and implementing policies came from outstanding individuals. This was followed by an era of parliamentary ...
This chapter focuses on the development of policy analysis tools, mostly policy evaluation and assessment. Spain has a fairly long tradition – albeit not a continuous one – of policy evaluation, starting in the late 18th century, but it has undergone important institutional shifts and setbacks, which reflect major political conflicts. Up until the mid-19th century the major contributions to designing and implementing policies came from outstanding individuals. This was followed by an era of parliamentary commissions that provided a political space to advocate for conflicting interests, a model that later became institutionalised. During World War I a new formula for evaluating and designing policies emerged: the research bureau. Under the Franco dictatorship, the development of policy evaluation suffered a major setback. There was no interest in promoting institutions to assess public policy. Given the very nature of the Franco regime, these institutions only emerged when they were promoted by business leaders and lobbies. As relations with Western countries improved and technocrats became more important in Franco’s government, more policy evaluation was developed and a new university-trained elite took care of it. They became very influential after Franco’s death.
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