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...it is discouraging, though perhaps not surprising, to observe that whenever the economist gets too close to the machinery of government he is all too prone to talk the language of 'political feasibility.' In order to avoid the frustration he may learn to advocate only those measures he believes stand some chance of acceptance. This implies, however, failure to advocate technically efficient measures for fear of being ignored by governments whose range of policies is limited by party ideology, financial shibboleths and public prejudice. But once the economist succumbs to the easy habit of making only those recommendations that accord with 'political realities' he soon finds himself in the uncomfortable position of using his authority to sanction the political fashions of the day.