Howard Scott

Howard Scott was an engineer and founding member of the Technical Alliance and of Technocracy Inc. He was the Chief Engineer of both organisations and remained in that position in Technocracy Inc. until his death.

Early Years

Scott's early years remain a mystery. Many false rumours and stories circulated about him in the 1930s when technocracy came to the fore, such as him studying in Europe and obtaining a Doctorate from the University of Berlin. However, these stories were later shown as incorrect or failed to be substantiated.

Scott and the Technical Alliance

Scott, however, did become a member of the Soviet of Technicians that Thorstein Veblen had organised. From there he went on to establish the Technical Alliance, with a number of others including Veblen, and he worked on the Energy Survey of America. After the Alliance collapse after its first years he continued working on the Survey while living in Greenwich Village, New York. During this time he managed his own company selling floor wax and became well know in the area for talking about his ideas of social change. He also kept contact with Veblen, who was a great influence on Scott, until Veblen's death in 1929.

By the early 1930, Scott was working with a small group that included Frederick Ackerman, M. King Hubbeert and Dal Hitchcock. The work so far conducted was present to Prof. Walter Rautenstrauch, whom arranged for the continuation of the Energy Survey and the reforming of the Technical Alliance at Columbia University.