chapter seven public policy copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 pearson education, inc. all rights...

Chapter Seven

Public Policy

Copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Public PolicyPublic Policy

Public policy consists of all those authoritative public decisions that governments make. Outputs – decisions Outcomes – end results Political Goods – goals and

values

Public policy consists of all those authoritative public decisions that governments make. Outputs – decisions Outcomes – end results Political Goods – goals and

values


Government and What It DoesGovernment and What It Does Governments do many things.

Production of goods and services varies from country to countryregulation of telecommunications and air traffic

provide defense, law enforcement, roads, postal service

may operate major industries

Governments do many things. Production of goods and services

varies from country to countryregulation of telecommunications and air traffic

provide defense, law enforcement, roads, postal service

may operate major industries


Political Goals and Political GoodsPolitical Goals and Political Goods Political goals motivate different policies. Political goods are organized around:

System goods: Citizens are free and able to act purposefully when environment is stable, transparent, predictable

Process goods: citizen participation and free political participation; democratic procedures, due process

Policy goods: economic welfare, quality of life, freedom, personal security

Political goals motivate different policies. Political goods are organized around:

System goods: Citizens are free and able to act purposefully when environment is stable, transparent, predictable

Process goods: citizen participation and free political participation; democratic procedures, due process

Policy goods: economic welfare, quality of life, freedom, personal security


Public Policy OutputsPublic Policy Outputs

Public policies may be summarized and compared according to outputs classified into four headings: Extraction of Resources – from

domestic, international environments Distribution – to citizens, residents Regulation – of human behavior Symbolic Outputs – exhort citizens to

engage in desired behavior

Public policies may be summarized and compared according to outputs classified into four headings: Extraction of Resources – from

domestic, international environments Distribution – to citizens, residents Regulation – of human behavior Symbolic Outputs – exhort citizens to

engage in desired behavior


ExtractionExtraction

Direct extraction of services: compulsory military service, jury duty, labor imposed on convicts

Direct resource extraction: taxation Direct taxes/Indirect taxes Progressive taxes/Regressive taxes

Tax profiles of different countries vary: overall tax burden reliance on different types of taxes how they collect revenues

Direct extraction of services: compulsory military service, jury duty, labor imposed on convicts

Direct resource extraction: taxation Direct taxes/Indirect taxes Progressive taxes/Regressive taxes

Tax profiles of different countries vary: overall tax burden reliance on different types of taxes how they collect revenues


DistributionDistribution Transfers of money, goods, services - to

citizens, residents, clients of the state Distributive Policy Profiles

Health, education, defense consume largest proportion of government spending

Developed countries allocate half to two thirds of government expenditures to education, health, welfare

First modern welfare state in Germany in 1880s 1930s to 1970s most industrialized states

adopted and expanded welfare policies Mixture between social insurance and social

redistribution

Transfers of money, goods, services - to citizens, residents, clients of the state

Distributive Policy Profiles Health, education, defense consume largest

proportion of government spending Developed countries allocate half to two

thirds of government expenditures to education, health, welfare

First modern welfare state in Germany in 1880s 1930s to 1970s most industrialized states

adopted and expanded welfare policies Mixture between social insurance and social

redistribution


Challenges to the Welfare StateChallenges to the Welfare State Welfare can be expensive Governments often have limited funds Committing future generations to pay Welfare states give citizens few

incentives to work

Welfare can be expensive Governments often have limited funds Committing future generations to pay Welfare states give citizens few

incentives to work


RegulationRegulation Regulation is exercise of political control

over behavior of individuals/groups in society

Contemporary governments are welfare states and regulatory states

Governments regulate by: legal means material or financial inducements persuasion or moral exhortation

Particularly important politically: government control over political participation and communication

Regulation is exercise of political control over behavior of individuals/groups in society

Contemporary governments are welfare states and regulatory states

Governments regulate by: legal means material or financial inducements persuasion or moral exhortation

Particularly important politically: government control over political participation and communication


Community Building and Symbolic OutputsCommunity Building and Symbolic Outputs

Intended to enhance people’s national identity, civil pride, trust in government

Enhance other areas of performance: make people pay their taxes more

readily, honestly comply with laws more faithfully accept sacrifice, danger, hardship

Intended to enhance people’s national identity, civil pride, trust in government

Enhance other areas of performance: make people pay their taxes more

readily, honestly comply with laws more faithfully accept sacrifice, danger, hardship


Domestic Policy OutcomesDomestic Policy Outcomes

How do extractive, distributive, regulative, symbolic policies affect lives of citizens?

Sometimes policies have unintended and undesirable consequences

To estimate effectiveness of public policy, have to examine actual policy outcomes as well as governmental policies and implementation

How do extractive, distributive, regulative, symbolic policies affect lives of citizens?

Sometimes policies have unintended and undesirable consequences

To estimate effectiveness of public policy, have to examine actual policy outcomes as well as governmental policies and implementation


Domestic Policy OutcomesDomestic Policy Outcomes

Welfare: poverty, water quality, sanitation,

pollution Health:

physicians, birth rate, life expectance, infant mortality, malnutrition, fertility

Education: skills, economic development,

secondary education, college education, literacy rates, access to information technology

Welfare: poverty, water quality, sanitation,

pollution Health:

physicians, birth rate, life expectance, infant mortality, malnutrition, fertility

Education: skills, economic development,

secondary education, college education, literacy rates, access to information technology


Fairness OutcomesFairness Outcomes

Promoting gender equality and empowering women Modernizing status of women makes

them better informed and capable of making choices that lead stable healthier population

Fairness in treatment of minority ethnic, racial, religious groups also an issue

Great income inequality violates standards of fairness

Promoting gender equality and empowering women Modernizing status of women makes

them better informed and capable of making choices that lead stable healthier population

Fairness in treatment of minority ethnic, racial, religious groups also an issue

Great income inequality violates standards of fairness


Liberty and Freedom OutcomesLiberty and Freedom Outcomes

Political Rights: opportunities for citizens to participate

Civil Liberties: protection for freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, due process

Political Rights: opportunities for citizens to participate

Civil Liberties: protection for freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, due process


Domestic Security OutcomesDomestic Security Outcomes Crime rates increasing in many advanced

societies and in developing world High crime rates primarily found in urban

areas migration increases diversity, conflict pace of urbanization explosive severe problems of poverty,

infrastructure unemployment, drug abuse

Crime rates have come down in U.S. stricter law enforcement, increased

incarceration time, decrease in youth

Crime rates increasing in many advanced societies and in developing world

High crime rates primarily found in urban areas migration increases diversity, conflict pace of urbanization explosive severe problems of poverty,

infrastructure unemployment, drug abuse

Crime rates have come down in U.S. stricter law enforcement, increased

incarceration time, decrease in youthCopyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

International OutcomesInternational Outcomes

Economic, diplomatic, military, informational Outcomes of interaction among nations:

prosperity or depression war or peace secularization or spread of religious beliefs

Nationals economies more interdependent restrictions and trade barriers

Environmental damage Cultural pressures Most costly outcome is warfare

last decades of 20th century: three-quarters of war deaths were civilians

Economic, diplomatic, military, informational Outcomes of interaction among nations:

prosperity or depression war or peace secularization or spread of religious beliefs

Nationals economies more interdependent restrictions and trade barriers

Environmental damage Cultural pressures Most costly outcome is warfare

last decades of 20th century: three-quarters of war deaths were civilians


The Complexity of Policy ChoiceThe Complexity of Policy Choice

Fact about political goods: cannot always have them all simultaneously

Political system often has to trade one value to obtain another

Opportunity costs: lose in one area by committing resources to different good

Task of social science: discover conditions under which positive and negative trade-offs occur

People do not share values, may be serious conflicts

Governments should provide means for people to decide for themselves

Fact about political goods: cannot always have them all simultaneously

Political system often has to trade one value to obtain another

Opportunity costs: lose in one area by committing resources to different good

Task of social science: discover conditions under which positive and negative trade-offs occur

People do not share values, may be serious conflicts

Governments should provide means for people to decide for themselves


chapter seven public policy copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 pearson education, inc. all rights...

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