Human Metrics: How Scoring is Governing Our Life

China’s Social Credit System is the most ambitious human metric in history, using technology to govern society and create the “perfect citizen.” I trace the historical roots of “governance-by-numbers” systems and show that the metrification of social and personal life also exists in Western societies. I point out the rise of a new governance system, shifting from the rule of law (“nomocracy”) to a system governed by numbers (“numerocracy”), and discuss the consequences for liberal democracies in terms of governance, citizenship, human rights, law & morality. While humans invented numbers to place an order in the world, they have themselves become numbers as part of the new world order. Is that a challenge or opportunity? 

Liav Orgad is Head of the Research Group “International Citizenship Law”, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.

Please note that this event takes place in English only with no translation.

The event is part of the WZB Talks series.