Open Data and Development | The CSAE Blog

“'the gentlest hand … modern economy, therefore, is the most effectual bridle ever was invented against the folly of despotism.'  — Sir James Steuart (1767) Hirschmann, in a classic of modern political economy (Exit, Voice and Loyalty, 1977),  questions the effectiveness of this ‘gentlest hand’, and the traditional notion that despots will be reigned in by economic competition alone. What economists have been slow to embrace, he suggests, is the option of voice: being able to complain—and be heard—when things are broken. Historically, when considering government performance, it has not necessarily been easy to exercise voice, both due to a lack of anyone who will listen, and due to an inability to access and use the information to develop a voice. Recent noisy uprisings in many countries and regions suggest that voice is a relevant consideration in economic and social change, and that voice is fostered by a range of modern technologies when these are made available. In this post I will look at the Open Data movement, discuss how this increases a people’s voice, and suggest why and how we must embrace this movement ..."