Practitioners in the field of Program and Policy Evaluation use social science research methods to examine whether government and non-profit social programs are having a positive impact on society. Many theorists and practitioners are taking on the role of advocates who seek to influence public policy. The most vocal of these advocates in recent years have promoted various anti-capitalist ideologies to blame society’s problems on free-markets, private property rights, the profit-motive, or structurally racist or sexist institutions. They advocate for curtailing private property rights to seize and redistribute resources for the purpose of creating a more “equitable” and “just” society.

I have yet to read any evaluation literature that challenges these ideologies directly. The only challenges I have seen are made by evaluators who stress the importance of maintaining a reasonable level of “objectivity” in evaluation.

In the spirit of “…inclusion, dialogue, and deliberation…” the essays on this website in one way or another will make the case for individual liberty and a government of limited authority. The essays will focus classical liberal philosophy and free-market economics, and how they may apply to the evaluation of social programs and improving the welfare of those in greatest material need.