Progress engineering as policy frame

A small but influential cluster of thinkers now describe ‘progress’ not as abstract growth but as an engineering project — a set of concrete institutional fixes, procurement choices, and industrial policies intended to deliberately accelerate technological and economic capabilities. Framing progress this way makes technical program design and supply‑chain decisions central political stakes, rather than vague promises of modernization. — If adopted by policymakers and opinion leaders, this framing could shift debates from abstract optimism to concrete battles over regulation, spending, and institutional design.