The Constraint of Quantity : the omnipresence of numbers in politics

Baele, S. & Slingeneyer, T. (2023). La contrainte de la quantité : De l’omniprésence du chiffre en politique. Revue interdisciplinaire d'études juridiques, 91, 65-89. https://www.cairn.info/revue--2023-2-page-65.htm.

Abstract 

The introduction of quantitative logic, procedures, and reasoning into the field of law is not an isolated phenomenon; it is part of a broader trend towards increasing quantification in the political sphere. This article reviews the literature dedicated to the quantification of politics to trace this connection. Specifically, we explore why quantification has gradually become significant in the political arena and, by extension, in the field of law. We propose a typology of three possible responses to this question, as found not only in the literature but sometimes also articulated by politicians and legal practitioners. The omnipresence of numbers can be explained by 1) a concern to base decisions on the most objective knowledge of reality (instrumental response), 2) the perception that quantified decisions appear more legitimate as they are viewed as « apolitical » (epistemological response), or 3) the historically localized generalization of a particular mode of governance characterized by action based on the collection of statistics (political response).