Charles Edward Merriam

Charles Edward Merriam was an influential American political scientist and expert in public administration who lived from 1874 to 1953. He is best known for founding the University of Chicago's Institute for Political Studies, which emphasized applying scientific methods to analyze government and public policy. Merriam believed that studying politics scientifically could improve government effectiveness and inform better decision-making. His work helped shape the field of political science as a discipline, promoting the idea that empirical research and data analysis are essential for understanding and improving democratic institutions and public administration.