What are the similarities and differences in the roles economists play as policy advisers and as scientists.?

Question

What are the similarities and differences in the roles economists play as policy advisers and as scientists.?

Answer 1

Their science leads to the policies they advice.  When the start breaking out the cost-benefit analysis of different game theory results they aren't the one's who bear the repercussions.  That's the politicians job for having listened to them.  Just like George Bush believed people who told him the oil in Iraq could be used to reduce the cost burden of the Iraq by now.  More than a few variables they didn't count on in that equation.  Things always work better in a model than in real life.  So I would say to be a good policy advisor a scientist would always have to error on the side of caution.

Answer 2

theory econs (scientists sort of) live within the models and try to test them.

policy or applied econs try to take a theory that has been tested and adapt a policy in order to implement