Wisconsin Idea

In the United States, this was the name given to a philosophy of public service by university scholars working with and advising state governments during the Progressive Era. It was particularly successful in Wisconsin (hence the name) where social science professors (especially John R. Commons and Richard T. Ely) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison often advised the governor (especially Robert M. La Follette Sr.) and legislators. It was a pioneering experiment in emphasizing the importance of the university in making a major contribution to public policy issues affecting mainly controversial social problems such as social insurance or labor relations.

It was not popular in other states nor at other times despite gaining a lot of notoriety and praise for its pioneering efforts addressing social issues.