Enduring Dilemmas in U.S. Technology Policy

Abstract

During the 1992 Presidential election campaign, candidates Bill Clinton and Albert Gore emphasized their commitment to a new U.S. technology policy. Nevertheless, Clinton Administration technology policy in fact carries forward many of the policies that emerged under the Reagan and Bush administrations. These policies were developed in response to changes in the international economic and technological environment that have reduced U.S. technological dominance and have deepened the technological and economic interdependence of the U.S. and foreign economies. Nevertheless, these conditions create persistent dilemmas for the design and implementation of technology policies. One enduring dilemma is the tension between technology and trade policies. A second dilemma concerns the relationship between defense-related R&D programs and civilian technology development. This article reviews the efforts of the Clinton Administration and its immediate predecessors to deal with these policy conflicts.