Changing How We Budget: Aaron Wildavsky’s Perspective

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Authors
Jones, L.R.
Subjects
Advisors
Date of Issue
1997
Date
Spring 1997
Publisher
PrAcademics Press
Language
Abstract
This article chronicles the analysis of budget reform initiatives by Aaron Wildavsky and his collaborators. Wildavsky's views remain relevant to contemporary debate about federal budget reform. Initiatives to control spending and improve the use of analysis in budgeting were central to Wildavsky's arguments. While he characterized budgeting as incremental he also favored some comprehensive changes through "radical incrementalism." Wildavsky developed a behavioral theory of budgeting and believed that efforts to seek a normative theory were largely a waste of time. He offered reforms to control the deficit and reduce entitlement spending but understood the incentives that cause Congress and the executive to resist change.
Type
Article
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Systems Management
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
26 p.
Citation
Jones, L. R. "Changing how we budget: Aaron Wildavsky's perspective." Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management 9.1 (1997): 46.
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
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