Technology in a fragmented politics: The case of agricultural research

The case of U.S. public agricultural research demonstrates that collective goals can be achieved within a fragmented politics. From their beginnings, public agricultural research institutions have been decentralized, autonomous, and closely linked with private economic interests. The extraordinary contribution of agricultural research is explained by the following: the commitment of agency of “associationalist” leaders to the goals of efficiency and productivity; the dynamics of group interactions; and indirectly, the influence of marketplace incentives.