ABSTRACT
Socialresearchtodayclearlyinvolvestheactionsandpoliciesof governmentsonascaleunknowninthepast.Muchoftheconcern andperplexityofsocialscientistsintheUnitedStatesrisesfrom thisgreatexpansionofgovernmentinterestandsupportandthe effectsthishashadormayhaveuponthenatureanddirectionsof research.9Beforeassessingthesethreatsandpossiblewaysof counteringthem,thepresentgovernmentinvolvementswithsocialresearchneedexamination.Thetotalspentforresearchinthe UnitedStatesisimpossibletodiscover.Theimportantissuescenteraboutresearchexpendituresbythefederalgovernmentand thedegreetowhichsocialscientistsareinvolveddirectlyorindirectlywiththegovernment.Heresomeapproximationsarepossible,althoughgovernmentagenciesdonotfollowuniformaccountingandreportingproceduresandusedifferentdefinitionsof
86P o l i t i c s o f S o c i a l R e s e a r c h
research.ForexampleEllis(1964),attemptingtosurveyfederal expendituresforsocialresearch,estimatedthattheBureauofthe Censusannuallyspendsanaverageof$20milliononsocialresearch.TheCensusBureaureportsanannualexpenditureofonly $1millionforsocialresearch.Inasense,muchofwhatthebureau doesmaybeviewedascollectingeitherresearchdataorinformationneededbyvariousbranchesofgovernmentinplanningtheir activities.ApparentlyEllisconsideredthistoberesearch,the bureaudidnot.
