Rationalism
A closer look at the social policy branch
A closer look at the social policy branch
Introduction
The Policies
When and why should you open this branch?
The Policies
Rationalism
Adopting Rationalism boosts
Science gained from research agreements by 50%. This branch cannot be active at the same time as Piety.Opening rationalism increases the beaker result from research agreements by 25% of the median tech, to either 75% or 100% of median value with the porcelain tower. This is a incredibly strong effect for an opener, as it will provide thousands of beakers throughout a game in which research agreements are being used. This effect works on any research agreement that is finished with it active, even if it was signed while inactive.
Secularism
+2 Science from every Specialist.This will generally provide greater than 5 beakers per city with a university and scientist slots filled. Cities that can support more specialists will get more benefit. When combined with the right side of the freedom branch, specialists can become significantly better than working regular tiles. Though all specialists become more useful, micromanagement to avoid popping unwanted great people is advised.
Humanism
+1
Happiness from every University, Observatory and Public School.The one policy in the branch that does not directly increase beaker output, humanism can provide 2 happiness per developed city. If on the cusp of unhappiness, this can be a useful boost but it's generally preferable to go down the left side of the tree first.
Free Thought
+1 Science from every Trading Post and +17% from Universities.Requires: Secularism
The university boost should provide about a 13% boost to cities without NC/observatory, and a 9% boost to those with. The boost to trading post output makes trading post covered jungles especially attractive tiles, providing 2
2 
3 . Though working regular trading posts in primary cities may still be inadvisable, the boost can significantly boost the science output of a puppet empire.
Sovereignty
+15% Science while the empire is Happy.Requires: Humanism
Increases total empire science output by 15%; does not work with science gained through Patronage's Scholasticism. In many cases, the science boost from secularism and free thought increase your empire's happiness by approximately 15% as well. This effect stacks with those boosts. Unfortunately the non science boosting humanism prerequisite makes going for this policy generally less attractive. If not near the end of the tech tree, humanism and this can be taken as fillers prior to an end game scientific revolution.
Scientific Revolution
2 free Technologies.Requires: Free Thought
The big kahuna of policies, this is one of the best available. The trick is to use it at the best possible time for maximum effect, optimally late game techs that have huge base cost. For example, an immediate push from electricity to electronics can allow for mechanized infantry to come online and sweep the opposition. For science and diplomatic victories, this policy is optimally used in combination with research agreements and scientist bulbing to get all the final techs allowing for victory.
Finisher
Adopting all Policies in the Rationalism tree will grant +1 Gold from Science buildings.In practice, the finisher gives a nice little boost. This provides between 2-4 extra gold per city. Not the strongest finisher, but seeing as how the entire tree is very powerful on its own, this isn't a bad finisher.
When and why should you open this branch?
Rationalism is good for the following victory conditions:- Science
Unsurprisingly, this branch devoted entirely to science is useful for science victories. The boost to research agreements from the opener, the general boost to science output, and the key scientific revolution for bulbing critical expensive techs like nanotechnology all make this branch extremely attractive.
- Diplomatic
The number of techs required for a diplomatic victory is the same as a science victory, so the same teching strategy applies with the goal of getting to Globalization early. The main difference is that you can be broke to get a science victory, while a diplomatic victory requires gobs of money in addition to science.
- Domination
Being able to research faster allows you to gain significant tech and unit advantages over the AI. In some cases, it can be as dramatic as Tanks vs. Crossbows. Someday they might figure out that shooting pointy sticks at that scary-looking iron beast isn't a good way to kill it. Until then, the world is yours. One caveat: if expecting to have a huge empire, other branches such as piety are probably better for happiness.
Piety vs Rationalism
These two branches are mutually exclusive; switching from one to the other causes the empire to go into anarchy and negates the effects of the other. Thus generally only one should be chosen and stuck with for the remainder of the game. Piety is almost a must-have for cultural victories, and for domination victories piety's organized religion allows for an easy +2 per city. In large puppet empires or ICS (infinite city sprawl) strategies, this happiness is invaluable. The happiness policy from rationalism can provide the same amount of happiness per city, but at a MUCH higher hammer cost, and at a much later date. If the extra happiness is unneeded, rationalism is generally a better overall branch.Patch version of this article: 1.0.1.383