Consequences of Federal Government Information Policies, 1981-1986 |
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| Abstract: | Prompted by ideological considerations, the Reagan administration, during the period 1981-1986, fostered policies to restrict, control, and manage the flow of information produced by and for the federal government. By means of misinformation, censorship, and selective dissemination, the Reagan administration successfully abridged public scrutiny of government decisions. Five aspects of these policies are examined: mandatory reductions to achieve a balanced budget, elimination and curtailment of statistical surveys, reduction in funding for United Nations research, private sector distribution of government products and services, and elimination of substantive government publications. This course of action subverts the concept of information as a public good and threatens the democratic ideal of full access to government information. |
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