Gradual
The Case for Incremental Change in a Radical Age
Published on 28. June 2023
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-0-19-763704-3 (ISBN)
Description
A call to tone down our political rhetoric and embrace a common-sense approach to change.
Many experts believe that we are at a fulcrum moment in history, a time that demands radical shifts in thinking and policymaking. Calls for bold change are everywhere these days, particularly on social media, but is this actually the best way to make the world a better place?
In Gradual, Greg Berman and Aubrey Fox argue that, contrary to the aspirations of activists on both the right and the left, incremental reform is the best path forward. They begin by emphasizing that the very structure of American government explicitly and implicitly favors incrementalism. Particularly in a time of intense polarization, any effort to advance radical change will inevitably engender significant backlash. As Berman and Fox make clear, polling shows little public support for bold change. The public is, however, willing to endorse a broad range of incremental reforms that, if implemented, would reduce suffering and improve fairness. To illustrate how incremental changes can add up to significant change over time, Berman and Fox provide portraits of "heroic incrementalists" who have produced meaningful reforms in a variety of areas, from the expansion of Social Security to more recent efforts to reduce crime and incarceration.
Gradual is a bracing call for a "radical realism" that prioritizes honesty, humility, nuance, and respect in an effort to transcend political polarization and reduce the conflict produced by social media.
Many experts believe that we are at a fulcrum moment in history, a time that demands radical shifts in thinking and policymaking. Calls for bold change are everywhere these days, particularly on social media, but is this actually the best way to make the world a better place?
In Gradual, Greg Berman and Aubrey Fox argue that, contrary to the aspirations of activists on both the right and the left, incremental reform is the best path forward. They begin by emphasizing that the very structure of American government explicitly and implicitly favors incrementalism. Particularly in a time of intense polarization, any effort to advance radical change will inevitably engender significant backlash. As Berman and Fox make clear, polling shows little public support for bold change. The public is, however, willing to endorse a broad range of incremental reforms that, if implemented, would reduce suffering and improve fairness. To illustrate how incremental changes can add up to significant change over time, Berman and Fox provide portraits of "heroic incrementalists" who have produced meaningful reforms in a variety of areas, from the expansion of Social Security to more recent efforts to reduce crime and incarceration.
Gradual is a bracing call for a "radical realism" that prioritizes honesty, humility, nuance, and respect in an effort to transcend political polarization and reduce the conflict produced by social media.
Reviews / Votes
Gradual' makes a passionate and convincing argument for incrementalism. * The Economist * Practical and satisfying. * Tyler Cowen, Times Literary Supplement * A welcome and necessary corrective to what ails much of our current thinking about transformative social change. Berman and Fox offer an illuminating roadmap for action that finds persuasive precedent in the cumulative capacity of modest steps to address profound challenges. * Daniel F. Wilhelm, President, The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation * Berman and Fox have written a deeply wise and richly insightful book about the possibilities for social policy change. Illustrated by a wealth of examples from different policy areas-including their own experiences as criminal justice reformers-they argue that incremental reforms sustained over a long period have the capacity to make bigger, more impactful, and lasting change than can usually be attained from any single sweeping reform. This engaging book is both highly accessible to general readers and grounded in the scholarly literature. It will be a terrific addition to courses on public policymaking. * Frances Lee, Professor of Politics and Public Affairs, Princeton University * Radical incrementalism-the pursuit of revolutionary change over the geological time scale-is the world's most underrated force for social improvement. In this innovative, enjoyable, and sometimes inspiring book, Greg Berman and Aubrey Fox show how stepwise reform brought Social Security to America and safe streets to New York, and why incrementalism, not 'bold action,' is the solution to our most intractable problems. So here's what to do: read Gradual, identify a problem, then find three constructive steps you can take. As a veteran of the fight for same-sex marriage, I can say that the results will surprise you. * Jonathan Rauch, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution * In this simply written and powerfully argued book, Berman and Fox make the telling point that incremental measures often produce major changes. Their insightful analysis moves beyond the inflated contemporary rhetoric and helps us understand what drives policy and how we might do better. * Edward D. Berkowitz, Professor Emeritus of History and Public Policy, George Washington University * A major contribution to the study of incrementalism. Berman and Fox make a compelling case for the superiority of incrementalism as a way to make policies. While incrementalism can be a purposeful strategy, it may also result from many independent and uncoordinated changes (a phenomenon they call 'accidental incrementalism') or from what they call 'practitioner vetoes' in the implementation process. * Michael Hayes, Professor Emeritus, Colgate University * Excellent for collections on public policy, social change, and American politics. * Choice * Gradual ' makes a passionate and convincing argument for incrementalism. * The Economist *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
458 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-763704-3 (9780197637043)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Persons
Greg Berman is the Distinguished Fellow of Practice at the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation. He also serves as coeditor of Vital City and writes a regular column about nonprofit leadership for City & State. Berman previously served as the executive director of the Center for Court Innovation. He is the author of four previous books, including Trial & Error in Criminal Justice Reform: Learning from Failure, with Aubrey Fox.
Aubrey Fox is the Executive Director of the New York City Criminal Justice Agency, the City's main pretrial services agency working under contract with the New York City Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice. In this role, he oversees the major operations and future development of CJA, which carries the mission of reducing the use of pretrial detention. Previously, Fox has held a number of senior-level positions at the Center for Court Innovation, including launching the Center's U.K. office, the Centre for Justice Innovation, in London. He graduated with a master's degree in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley, served as a VISTA Volunteer in San Antonio, Texas, was a Warren Weaver Fellow at The Rockefeller Foundation and a member of Coro's Leadership New York program.
Aubrey Fox is the Executive Director of the New York City Criminal Justice Agency, the City's main pretrial services agency working under contract with the New York City Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice. In this role, he oversees the major operations and future development of CJA, which carries the mission of reducing the use of pretrial detention. Previously, Fox has held a number of senior-level positions at the Center for Court Innovation, including launching the Center's U.K. office, the Centre for Justice Innovation, in London. He graduated with a master's degree in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley, served as a VISTA Volunteer in San Antonio, Texas, was a Warren Weaver Fellow at The Rockefeller Foundation and a member of Coro's Leadership New York program.
Content
Introduction: An Era of Radical Change?
Section One: A World of Constraints
Chapter One: Muddling Through
Chapter Two: The Practitioner Veto
Chapter Three: What the Public Wants
Section Two: Incrementalism in Action
Chapter Four: Social Security's Heroic Incrementalists
Chapter Five: How New York City Reduced Crime and Incarceration
Chapter Six: The Immigration System's Hidden Strengths
Section Three: Stumbling Toward Success
Chapter Seven: The Perils of Greatness
Chapter Eight: The Four Core Values of Incrementalism
Conclusion: The Endless Effort to Alleviate Injustices
Acknowledgments
References
Index
Section One: A World of Constraints
Chapter One: Muddling Through
Chapter Two: The Practitioner Veto
Chapter Three: What the Public Wants
Section Two: Incrementalism in Action
Chapter Four: Social Security's Heroic Incrementalists
Chapter Five: How New York City Reduced Crime and Incarceration
Chapter Six: The Immigration System's Hidden Strengths
Section Three: Stumbling Toward Success
Chapter Seven: The Perils of Greatness
Chapter Eight: The Four Core Values of Incrementalism
Conclusion: The Endless Effort to Alleviate Injustices
Acknowledgments
References
Index