PUBLIC POLICY

Lecture N1 – The study of public policy

Lecture plan

Why study public policy ? In search of definition: What is public policy? Characteristics of Public Policy Categories of Public policy Approaches to Policy Study

Why study Public Policy

Source :

We are all are affected in many ways by public policies.

• Scientific ReasonsScientific Reasons• Professional Reasons• Political reasons

Why study Public Policy

Source :

• Scientific ReasonsScientific Reasons

For greater understanding of their origins, procedures by which they are developed and implemented, or their consequences for society.

Policy can be regarded as dependent or independent variable.

Why study Public Policy

Source :

• Professional ReasonsProfessional ReasonsSeeks to apply scientific knowledge to the solution of practical problems (policy analysis );

Professional Policy Analysis seeks to identify and promote adoption of good public polices , as measured by the efficiency criterion.

Why study Public Policy

Source : kraft,(p.g.21 Anderson

• Political ReasonsPolitical Reasons

Not to become “victim” of policy advocates , who try to support their policy over which there is substantial disagreement in the society .

Citizens’ Ability to participate and make Choices;

Citizens’ Ability to influence Policydecisions.

In search of definition: What is public policy?

: წყარო საჯარო სამსახურის ბიურო

Policy•“policy- refers in general to a purposive course of action that an individual or group consistently follows in dealing with a problem” (Anderson 2011, Kraft pg 3)Public policy•The relationship of a government unit to its environment” –too broad•“ Public policy is whatever governments choose to do or not to do” Public policy is what public officials within government and by extension the citizens they represent, choose to o or not to do about public problems. (E. Kraft pg.3) - too broad(decision , routine actions )

What is public policy?

: წყარო საჯარო სამსახურის ბიურო

•“A long series of more –or-less relative activities “ and their consequences for those concerned, rather than discrete decision. ( differentiates decision and activity)

•“A relatively stable, purposive course of action followed by an actor or set of actors in dealing with a problem or matter of concern”(book author)

•“Public policy is a course of action or inaction in response to public problems”(E. Kraft pg 4)” actual behavior not of implementing agencies and officials not merely the statements of policy goals and means found in laws and other expressions of government policy

Course of action - Policy, programs, laws, judicial decisions interpreting the law etc.

Governmental officials

Response to claims for action

Characteristics of Public Policy public policies are those developed by governmental bodies and officials policies consist of course of action taken over time by governmental institutions , rather than their separate decisions. (ex. Health policy) public policies emerge in response to claims for action on some public issues (by other actors- citizens, group representatives or legislators and other public officials) – includes enacting policy, interpreting the laws etc) Public policy may be positive (laws –taxes must be paid highway speed limits must be obeyed unless…) or negative (inaction-ex. Regulation of commercial airline rates)

Categories of Public policyLarge number and complexity of public policies political scientists have developed for categorizing public policies

• Substantive and procedural

•Distributive , regulatory, self –regulatory, and redistributive

•Material and symbolic Policies

•Policies involving collective goods or private goods

Source: Anderson

Categories of Public policySubstantive and procedural

Substantive policies - directly distribute to people advantages and disadvantages , benefits and costs.

Ex. Involve what government is going to do - constructing highways, paying welfare benefits ; or prohibiting – the retail sale of liquor.

Procedural policies - how something is going to be done or who is going to take action . So defined procedural policies include laws providing for the creation of administrative agencies , determining matters over which they have jurisdiction

Ex – NAPA, Source: Anderson

Categories of Public policyDistributive , regulatory, self –regulatory, and redistributive

Distributive policies –Distributive policy refers to the provision of benefits to citizens, groups, or corporations. Governments also use distributive policy to encourage certain activities. Tax abatements and farm subsidies to promote economic development, and tax write-offs for homeowners to promote the housing industry, are good examples.

Ex – agricultural income support programs, tax deduction or home mortgage interest payments , rivers and harbors improvement and flood control legislation. Source: Anderson, http://www.angelo.edu/faculty/ljones/gov3301/block6/objective5.htm

Categories of Public policy

Regulatory policies - A major goal of regulatory policy is to maintain order and prohibit behaviors that endanger society. Government accomplishes this goal by restricting citizens, groups, or corporations from engaging in those actions that negatively affect the political and social order. Ex. administer voting procedures, provide traffic ordinances, and prohibit people from using certain drugs. Another goal of regulatory policy is to protect economic activities and business markets by prohibiting industry from practicing activities detrimental to the free market, such as the creation of monopolies. Regulatory policy is also evident in the use of laws designed to protect the workplace and the environment. Ex – gun control, pornography, abortion;Source: Anderson, http://www.angelo.edu/faculty/ljones/gov3301/block6/objective5.htm

Categories of Public policy

Self-regulatory policies – are similar to regulatory policies –they restrict or control some matter or group BUT unlike regulatory policy-they are supported by regulated group as a means of protecting or promoting the interests of its members. (professional or occupational group acting on its own to seek licensing legislation from the state legislature ).

Categories of Public policy

Redistributive Public PolicyThe major purpose of redistributive policy is to promote equality. The government redistributes societal wealth from one group to another group. This occurs when the government provides benefits directly to citizens through social programs such as welfare. Progressive taxation, where tax rates increase as your income increases, is another example of a redistributive policy.

Categories of Public policyCan be described according to kind of benefits they allocate.

Material and symbolic Policies

Material policies actually either provide tangible resources or substantive power to their beneficiaries, or impose real disadvantages on those who are adversely affected.

Ex : Legislation requiring employers to pay a prescribed minimum wage, appropriating money for a public-housing program, or providing income-support payments to farmers is material in content and effect.

Source: Anderson

Categories of Public policyMaterial and symbolic Policies

Symbolic policies- in contrast, have little real material impact on people. They do not deliver what they appear to deliver; they allocate no tangible advantages and disadvantages. Rather, they appeal to peoples cherished values, such as peace, patriotism, and social justice.

A prime example of a symbolic policy is the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928, by which the United States and fourteen other countries agreed to outlaw war. (flag example)

Occasionally a policy that appears to be mostly symbolic may turn out to have important consequences. The Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Source: Anderson

Categories of Public policyPolicies involving collective goods or private goods

Public policies may also involve the provision of either collective (indivisible) goods or private (divisible) goods.

Collective goods -if they are provided for one person, they must be provided for all. Moreover, one person's consumption of a collective good does not deny it to others.

Ex: national defense: there is no effective way to provide it for some citizens and exclude others from its benefit, enjoyment, or other consequences, nor to calculate that some citizens benefit more from it than others.Source: Anderson

Categories of Public policyPolicies involving collective goods or private goods

Private goods- in contrast, may be broken into units and purchased or charged by the individual user or beneficiary, and are available in the marketplace. Others may be excluded from their use. Various social goods provided by government (garbage collection, postal service, medical care, museums, public housing, and national parks)

Source: Anderson

Distinguish between policymaking and decision-making

Decision-making, involves making a discrete choice from among two or more alternatives, such as whether or not to read further a book.

Policymaking - typically encompasses a flow and pattern of action that extends over time and includes many decisions, some routine and some not so routine

Approaches to Policy Study

Helps - analyzing policy formation

Political Systems Theory - Public policy may be viewed as a political system s response to demands arising from its environment.

Inputs into the political system from the environment consist of demands and supports.

Approaches to Policy Study

Political Systems Theory -

Inputs into the political system from the environment consist of demands and supports.

Demands are the claims for action that individuals and groups make to satisfy their interests and values

Support is rendered when groups and individuals abide by election results, pay taxes, obey laws, and otherwise accept the decisions and actions undertaken by the political system in response to demands

Approaches to Policy Study

Help - analyzing policy formation

Political Systems Theory -

Outputs - Outputs of the political system include laws, rules, judicial decisions, and the like.

The concept of feedback indicates that public policies (or outputs) made at a given time may subsequently alter the environment and the demands arising there from

Approaches to Policy Study

Group theory According to the group theory of politics, public policy is the product of the group struggle.

Group theory rests on the contention that interaction and struggle among groups are the central facts of political life

Approaches to Policy Study

Elite Theory public policy can be regarded as reflecting the values and preferences of a governing elite. The essential argument of elite theory is that public policy is not determined by the demands and actions of the people or the "masses" but rather by a ruling elite whose preferences are carried into effect by public officials and agencies.

Approaches to Policy Study

Institutionalism This is not surprising, since political life generally revolves around governmental institutions such as legislatures, executives, courts, and political parties; public policy, moreover, is authoritatively determined and implemented by these institutions.Rational Choice Theory - rational-choice theory, contends that politicians are guided by their self-interest rather than an altruistic commitment to such goals as statesmanship or the national interest.

voters and political parties act as rational decision-makers who seek to maximize attainment of their preferences. Parties formulated whatever policies would win them most votes, and voters sought to maximize the portion of their preferences that could be realized through government action.

Plan - Policy process

1) Stage1 : Problem identification (Policy Agenda)-getting the government to consider action on the problem

2) Stage 2: Policy formulation - development of pertinent and acceptable proposed courses of action for dealing with a public problem (what is proposed to be done about the problem

3) stage 3: Policy Adoption – development of support (for legitimizing the policy)

4) Sage 4: Policy implementation - applying gov. policy to the problem ;

5) Stage 5: Policy Evaluation - did the policy work?

Thank you