Sobre los dilemas éticos de la evaluación de programas sociales y su normatividad

Evidence based budgeting is a relatively new movement in Mexico that seeks to put public management on a firmer scientific footing. This paper strives to adjust the pointer of the balance that weighs the expected risks and benefits of federal social program evaluation by examining the epistemological grounds of social experiments. Our argument consists in showing that the dogmatic believe that social experiments carry special scientific weight may lead to an unjustified modification of the expected risk and benefits structure that face the subjects of development against their interests. With this paper we hope to start a public discussion of the ethical matters of social program evaluation and the dearly need of an institutional framework that safeguards the social rights of the people.