Peer pressure in Paris: Country reviews at the OECD in the 1960s and 1970s

Abstract

This chapter examines the early history of the Economic and Development Review Committee (EDRC) to illuminate the process of peer review at the OECD. Each year the EDRC conducted annual examinations of OECD participants behind closed doors, evaluating economic performance and the effectiveness of each government’s policies in turn. Because the final results were eventually published as “country surveys,” member governments sometimes tried to evade close scrutiny or soften the EDRC’s conclusions. Nevertheless, the published surveys enjoyed a solid international reputation, and overall the review process contributed to the transparency of Western economic activity and fostered a sense of mutual accountability within the Organization.