The field of state expertise

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the role of state expertise and public commissions, which are dominated by senior civil servants and state-close policy experts, in the elaboration of policy analysis-based reform proposals. Two kinds of organisations are taken into account: permanent commissions or institutes and ad hoc commissions created for the purpose of a specific reform in a particular context. Until the 1990s, the Commissariat General au Plan was the main permanent commission that produced policy analysis and reform proposals aimed at long-term goals. Over the last 20 years, new, more specialized councils or commissions have been created in order to promote structural analysis and change in different policy fields. This is especially the case for social policies. Since the late 1990s, governments have created new institutions charged with deliberating assessments of and possible reform orientations for pensions, healthcare, family policy and care for example. The aim of this chapter is to analyze this shift in governance structure within the French welfare system and the new role played by these conseils.

A Small Discipline, Scarce Publicity, and Compromised Outward Reach: The Advisory Roles of Political Scientists in France

“…The importance of the central State in policy-making comes with the development of that State's general, multi-purpose expertise, which is needed to facilitate the management of public affairs on all fronts. This expertise has been referred to as State expertise, as opposed to, and usually distinguished from, other kinds such as lay or academic expertise (Hauchecorne & Penissat, 2018). State expertise, which also encompasses policy analysis and evaluation, is often to be found in the 'grands corps', which are groups for the most part composed of senior career civil servants (Biland & Gally, 2018).…”