Civilization 5 Rationalism Social Policies
Strategy Guide for Gods and Kings & Brave New World
| Tradition | Liberty | Honor | Piety | Patronage | Aesthetics | Commerce | Exploration | Rationalism |
Rationalism becomes unlocked in the Renaissance Era, which is rather late into the game depending on your situation. Every Civ can benefit from this, for all Civs need Science and using it keeps the option of a Science Victory open, should your primary plan fail. Adopting Rationalism instantly boosts Science by 10% when the Empire is Happy (at least 0 Happinesss), while also giving you the right to build the Porcelain Tower, which boosts Research Agreements by +50%. It can be a difficult Wonder to get if you do not beeline it at some point and have the tech lead.
You should prepare for this by having plenty of Trading Posts, Universities, and other Science buildings in place, for you'll get a Policy that will finally let you earn Great Scientists at a respectable rate. Finishing the Rationalism Tree will let you buy them with Faith, while also granting you a Free Technology (pick an expensive one!).
Trading posts come in handy for another reason - Research Agreements (RA), which can be costly, especially when made on the scale that you should make them when pushing for the Spaceship. RAs can cost from 200 Gold to 350, and you'll want to make them with as many Civs as possible. You will pass others up if you are the one making all the deals. While an individual Civ will get one boost from you, if you've made 3 agreements, you'll get it from 3 Civs putting you far into the lead as far as total Science gained.
Secularism: +2 Science from every Specialist.
Tips and Strategies for this Policy: This is an amazing Policy, boosting Science empire-wide, particularly in your Capital (if that's where you've built the 3 Guilds and National College/Oxford University). Korea benefits heavily from this, for they already get +2 Science per Specialist.
Humanism: Great Scientists are earned 25% faster.
Tips and Strategies for this Policy: Great Scientists are hardest to get early on, and this Policy will help you start to make up for that. 25% isn't much, but you will gradually pump them out. The earliest should go for academies, later using them for instant Research boosts to race ahead in Tech (or catch up a bit!).
Sovereignty: +1 Gold from all Science Buildings.
Tips and Strategies for this Policy: A minor boost that will help offset the cost of all your Scientific buildings. This does not make them profitable, but cheaper to operate. Empire-wide, it may save you a few dozen gold per turn, but that isn't much at all by the late-game... still, every Gold counts when you are paying hundreds to upgrade Military units.
Free Thought: +1 Science from every Trading Post and +17% Science from Universities.
Tips and Strategies for this Policy: This will provide a great, instant boost to both your income and Scientific output. Universities go to giving +50% Science, and with the +2 per specialist here, plus +10% output on top of that, you'll be doing great in both departments... so long as you've been building Trading Posts as you should!
Scientific Revolution: Boosts Science gained from Research Agreements by 50%.
Tips and Strategies for this Policy: This, coupled with the Porcelain Tower, will give you Double what you would normally from a Research Agreement. This is huge, even with just the 50% from this Policy (if you fail to build the Wonder). RAs are a big part of winning a Scientific Victory early and this will help you achieve that. As of Fall Patch 2013, each Civ's Science gain is whatever the lesser of the two will receive. This will put you ahead of them, as the modifier will be applied after the other Civ gets their points.
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