A randomista take on UK politics

Abstract

This article examines the application of randomised control trials (RCTs) to UK politics. The author argues that while RCTs are often considered the gold standard for evaluating policy interventions, they are not suitable for evaluating many of the most important policy questions in the UK. This is because these policies, such as those related to healthcare, education, and social welfare, are complex and often involve ethical considerations that make it impractical or impossible to conduct rigorous RCTs. The author suggests that the focus on RCTs in development economics may be misplaced, as the very nature of policy in high-income countries makes RCTs less useful and relevant. Instead, economists should focus on developing other methods for evaluating policy interventions that are more suitable for the complexities of real-world policy-making. – AI-generated abstract.