Howard Scott - Technocracy

Technocracy

At the end of World War I, Howard Scott helped to form the Technical Alliance which explored economic and social trends in North America; the Technical Alliance disbanded in 1921. In 1920, the Industrial Workers of the World, an organization which shared Scott's desire for radical social change, hired him as its first and only "Research Director".

Scott, together with Walter Rautenstrauch formed the Committee on Technocracy in 1932, which advocated a more rational and productive society headed by technical experts. The Committee disbanded in January 1933, after only a few months, largely because of different views held by Scott and Rautenstrauch as well as widespread criticism of Scott. Scott had "overstated his academic credentials", and he was discovered not to be a "distinguished engineer".

On January 13, 1933, Scott gave a speech about technocracy at New York's Hotel Pierre, before a live audience of 400, which was also broadcast on radio nationwide. The speech was subsequently called a "grave mistake", "disastrous", and "a complete failure". The speech was seen to be "the last straw for disillusioned technocrats".

Later in 1933 Scott formed Technocracy Incorporated and was its chief engineer. He remained as chief engineer until his death in 1970. Scott "argued indefatigably that scientific analysis of industrial production would show the path to lasting efficiency and unprecedented abundance". Scott gained many supporters within the movement. M. King Hubbert, for example, considered Scott extremely knowledgeable in physics. There was some discontent with Scott's leadership during WWII and a number of technocrats broke away from Technocracy Inc. and established their own breakaway organisation which only lasted for about a year.