Measuring Technocracy: Dimensions, Levels of Analysis and Operationalization

The theoretical literature on technocracy has recently rediscovered a classical form of government and proposed new conceptualizations. This renewal of interest from a theoretical perspective, however, has not been paralleled by a discussion on its empirical measurement. Starting from a definition of technocracy as form of power and representation characterized by distinct dimensions, this paper stresses the need for empirical research on technocracy and offers an operationalization at four levels of analysis: individual (citizens and MPs), organizational (political parties and other organizations), institutional (state institutions) and systemic (the relationship between politics and governance agencies). The paper aims at both reviewing existing operationalizations and proposing new ones for each level of analysis – including behavioural, discourse and aggregate methods – to make comparative and longitudinal analysis of technocracy possible beyond descriptive case studies.