Partie II. : Les analyses économiques du social (1955-1973)

‘« We thought we were pioneers, crusaders for a cause. The ideas of quantifying, measuring, evaluating and systematically analyzing the cost effectiveness of alternative policies were relatively new and quite threatening. We were young and brash and hopeful -- and to many of the seasoned bureaucrats in the Department we must have sounded pretty naive and silly. But we found out that they had a lot of knowledge and relevant experience. They found out that some of our crazy ideas made sense and helped them make and defend decisions. » (Alice Rivlin, discours d’inauguration de la Alice Mitchell Rivlin Conference Room, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C., 17 février 1998.)’