ABSTRACT
Under the heavy national policy pressures of the 1973-1976 period, the conservative market, individualistic, and pluralistic premises of incrementalist decision making came under searching new criticism as crisis management, while the rigidities of rational policy making approaches received further sharp scrutiny. The primacy of economic rather than political or social concepts in these and other conservative incrementalist defenses was again reflected by Treasury Secretary Schultz. The new planning advocates, in contrast, possessed a radical-chic view that differed from the old wisdom in alleging that the market no longer served to guide the economy efficiently. If the incremental approach to national planning became the focal point or a vigorous and fundamental pro and con debate, the rational planning approach in contrast became a whipping boy for criticism from almost everyone. The critical reassessment of rational policy formulation processes appeared in many policy areas throughout the government.
