ABSTRACT
Quite independent from the tremendous achievements of modern states in historic perspective (Deutsch 1981) and from past and continuous suc cesses in handling acute problems (Levitan and Taggart 1976; Romasco 1983; J. Schwarz 1983), such as terrorism (B. Bell 1978; Dror 1983b; E. Evans 1979; J. Lodge 1981), a main feature of contemporary policymaking is growing awareness of bleak problems, though often superficially per ceived and deficiently diagnosed, both in establishments (Pollard 1981) and in academic work (as illustrated by parts of Amin et al. 1982; Bourne and Levin 1983; Cornford 1975; Cotgrove 1982; Goerner 1971; Inglehart 1977b, and in most of the so-called social problems texts, e.g. DeFleur 1983; not to speak about dogmatic misperceptions in doctrinaire writings, such as Chomsky and E. Herman 1979). Adversity is somehow perceived and a variety of responses do take place.