Restraining the Administrative State: A Lavoiean Approach

Turner and Mazur’s Making Democratic Theory Democratic provides a robust intellectual platform to critically appraise the evolution and impacts of the modern administrative state. In this paper, I argue that the political economy insights of Don Lavoie complement Turner and Mazur’s philosophical criticisms of the administrative state. 

Lavoie’s identification of problems associated with noncomprehensive economic planning transpose to administrative state agencies, especially as entities increasingly interfere with economic and social decisions. A Lavoiean perspective raises incentive, knowledge, and power problems afflicting regulators and other administrative state policy- and lawmakers. The affirmative democratic ethos of Turner and Mazur relates to Lavoie’s underappreciated perspectives on democracy, underpinned by precepts of radical openness and participation. 

The extensive Lavoiean democratic disposition calls for the need to significantly restrain administrative state activities and powers, combining changes to organizational and institutional rules with assorted civil societal “fire alarm” responses against administrative state power abuses.

Find the paper here.